The Truths About Lies
by MileyNick123
Summary: The worst lies are the lies we tell ourselves. -Niley-
1. Prologue

_**A/N: So I'm debating on two different stories right now. This is one. The other one is an old story I never continued called Lovestory, so you can read that one and tell me what you think. **_

_**So please please please review on whether I should pick this story or Lovestory, or if you don't like either one, then tell me too. Hahaa.**_

_**This isn't really a chapter. More of a prologue, so enjoy. :)**_

_**

* * *

**_

By the time the paramedics had gotten to me, I was crouching over Liam's unmoving body soaked in his blood. They had told me to let go, but I couldn't. I couldn't leave him like that lying on the floor. His hair was matted with blood and his favorite Radiohead t- shirt was torn apart. He would be pissed...

But then I remembered what had happened. He never would be. I threw myself over his body knowing I could never leave him. I closed my eyes and just prayed that reality didn't exist. That it was just me and Liam. That it would always just be me and Liam.

But sometimes reality didn't listen. They eventually pried me away despite my screams and kicking and left me outside in the school hallway to cry. A few minutes later, a young guy in a paramedics uniform picked me up from the ground and helped me outside where half the school was waiting. They all stared at me with looks of shock and disgust.

They thought I killed him…

I tore my gaze away from their stares and found my parents at the end of drive- way. My dad look disheveled and my mom was pouring tears. I don't know why. They didn't have to see what I had just seen. They didn't go through what I had just gone through. But I still let my Mom hold me until she ran out of tears. I could see her worried stare at my blood- stained shirt, but I didn't care. I knew what happened; they didn't. I just got in the back seat of the car, like I always did when I went to school or when Mom dropped me off a cheer practice or Selena's house. I hugged myself in the backseat and tried to forget the blood trailing all over me… Liam's blood.

Once we got home, I felt almost out- of- place. Like, I didn't belong here. Without saying anything to my parents, I ran up the stairs to my room and lay down facing the blank ceiling. At that moment, I closed my eyes and erased everything that I had seen today. I erased everything I had heard. I erased everything I had done.

So by the time Mom and Dad walked in with police officers, asking what had happened today, all I could tell them was, "I don't remember."


	2. Chapter 1: The Truths About Returning

**_March 25, 2010; 7:10 A.M. (Present- day)_**

I woke up.

I got dressed.

I brushed my teeth.

I brushed my hair.

I cried.

I pulled myself together.

That was pretty much my daily routine for the last week. Except today was different. I reapplied my usual coat of eye- liner and lip gloss before staring at my reflection in the mirror. . I couldn't remember when I had gotten so pale, or how much weight I had lost in the time span of a week, but there I was. Almost like a ghost staring back at myself through different eyes.

And my eyes…

Still the deep shade of gray, but duller… much duller.

Black rings was hidden underneath and I almost had to blink to make sure I was staring at the same person; that I was staring at me. Almost disgusted with myself, I tore my gaze away from the mirror and grabbed my bag sitting isolated on the carpeted floor untouched. I looked at the strap where I had drawn all over in complete utter boredom. I was guessing math class.

"Miley," I read aloud and my own voice surprised me. Miley… That was my name. Miley Ray Stewart. But for some reason something felt different. Like it wasn't me, but someone I used to be.

Then who am I?

My mom's high shrill voice downstairs interrupted my thoughts. She had been perky and upbeat the last few days. The only problem was that it was too much. It was all fake, and I knew it. She knew it too, but it was the best she could do. She was worried, but I couldn't blame her either.

I spent the past week at home on my bed staring at the ceiling for hours. I haven't picked up my paintbrushes or my sketchbook or even my own cellphone or laptop. I haven't talked to anyone except my parents. And even to them it was either a nod or a mumble. In true honesty, I had shut myself away from the world and didn't have an intention of going back. Sometimes all I wanted to do was stay here and feel the comfort of my own blankets tangled between my legs or the familiar white throw- pillow that I would just hug onto to stop the pain erupting in my chest. Because right now, these little things were what I called perfect; just being able to tolerate a day without wanting to just break myself into a million pieces. Everything from my old life, everything from before a week ago, was perfect too but in a different way. I was happy. But that was all gone now. Every last piece.

Gone.

Broken.

Lost.

I don't blame my parents for acting so strange around me. I mean, I would be worried too, but I was just too numb to feel it.

"Miley Ray Stewart!" my Mom called. There was my name again. The name that didn't seem to fit anymore.

I opened my mouth to mumble a response but nothing got out. I hadn't spoken in an actual conversation since that day. And the last person it was with wasn't here to finish it either. He was gone along with 4 other people at school.

Four people.

Four classmates.

Four friends.

One boyfriend.

"Miley! Get down here or you're going to be late!" Mom screamed actually sound a bit annoyed. But this time it was a good thing. It meant that she was feeling something. Something I haven't done in the past week.

Finally, after taking a deep breath, clearing my mind, and trying to keep myself together, I walked out the door and was on my way to my new hell.

School.

* * *

_March 16, 2010/ 8:15 A.M.  
_

_ I was at the cafeteria playing around with some leftover grapes in my tray that I was too tired to finish. Demi was sitting on Joe's lap across from me and Selena was in her stage where all she could talk about was sports. Apparently today, her lacrosse stick had been dented from ramming into a sophomore girl who was in her way. _

_I know what you're thinking. Big manly tom- boy girl that looks like she's on steroids? No. Selena is actually one of the most feminine people I have ever met. She always wears skirts or flowing summer dresses. Her hair is always perfectly curled to the base of her neck. Her eyeliner, blush, eye- shadow, and lip gloss were always perfectly in touch, and she talked with such sophistication and confidence that most people would have been intimidated. _

_The only other thing she loved more than clothes was lacrosse. She was the star of the high school team despite that she was barely a sophomore. _

"_Are you listening to me, Miles? Or is that grape really really interesting?" Selena laughed as she took another sip from her water bottle (something she takes with her every where every day.)_

"_Sorry," I grinned sheepishly. "I didn't get much sleep last night."_

"_Maybe if you weren't off messing around with my brother everywhere," she smirked. I smiled back even though she was wrong. Yesterday was actually one of the first nights Liam and I DIDN'T hang out. He had been too busy practicing, and I was busy studying for a bunch of mid- terms coming up this week. _

"_Speaking of my brother," she grinned just as a pair of strong arms lifted me from behind. _

"_Liam," I squealed laughing as he put me down. Instantly, I leaned forward to kiss him. This was what I waited for every morning and every day. "I love you," I smiled. _

"_Love you too," he grinned as he leaned forward for another small kiss. Suddenly, I noticed the trail of friends hanging behind him. Awkwardly I took a step away from Liam and just hung a loose arm around his waist. _

"_Hey, guys," I grinned. Most were team mates on his football team and some were just connections along the way. Nick Hanson, Liam's best friend, gave a small head nod which I returned laughing. He was always that quiet, dark, mysterious type, and whenever he did speak it was always something clever that would make everyone around him laugh. I didn't really know him except that he was Liam's best friend and Demi's boyfriend's (Joe) brother. _

"_Dude, that pass was amazing today," Joe praised as Liam shrugged. _

"_That was nothing. Did you see the tackle Nick made?" And suddenly the whole table of football players started chattering and hooting about whatever had happened on the field today while Demi, Selena, and I all rolled our eyes. _

"_Kevin!" Joe called out as he walked past with his girlfriend, Danielle. Kevin was what you would call the perfect son. He had a 4.6 GPA, got an early admission to Stanford, was politically involved with the high school council, and not to mention the star tennis champion of the school. He was also Joe and Nick's big brother. _

"_Hey, guys," he smiled with that inviting friendly smile that I always liked. Danielle smiled around the table too. _

"_Let's go to Pop's Pizza today. I'm starving and Mom's trying to make that godddamn pasta again."_

_Kevin laughed and ran a hand through his curls. "Yeah. For sure. And let's watch that new movie with Tom Cruise. I've been dying to see it, but Danny here hates action movies."_

"_I'm sorry! I just don't find the fun in a movie where they run for 68% of the movie."_

_I leaned forward and gave her a high- five. "Stick it to the man," I grinned causing the table to break into laughter. _

_Joe smiled and nodded. "Oh wait," Kevin stopped. "I have a quick meeting with Mrs. Patterson after AP English. Can I just meet you at Pop's?"_

"_No problem. I was planning on walking Demi home anyway."_

_Soon Kevin and Danielle squeezed into the table too, and I was almost pushed to the end of the bench. _

"_Hey," Liam whispered into my ear. He was pushed up right against me, so that I was almost sitting on his lap. "Let's get out of here."_

"_Where?"_

_He shrugged and smiled playfully. "I don't know. Somewhere more private."_

_I smiled shyly, feeling the crimson burning through my face. Nodding, I stood up, and we walked out of the cafeteria hand- in- hand._

_It wasn't until ten minutes after we walked out that the gun shots began. _

_

* * *

_

_**March 25,2010; 8:15 A.M. (Present Day)**  
_

It happened here. This was where it all started.

I took a deep breath and felt the smooth tiled floor of the cafeteria under my favorite pair of boots. I wasn't going to think about it; I wasn't going to think about the people… the kids… the kids I knew that died here only a week ago.

"What is she doing here?" I hear a whisper from a group of freshman girls walking past me, and suddenly as if in one single sweeping moment the whispers and stares began. I wasn't exactly new to it. I mean, I was the freaky art girl who somehow got lucky and snagged the hottest guy in school as a boyfriend. Before they were looks of envy, now they were stare of complete and utter hate.

Maybe even fear.

"What the hell does she think she's doing, going back here?"

"She's such a freak."

"I thought they expelled her?

"I thought she got arrested."

"She killed them."

And suddenly I felt my knees give out, causing me to grab the nearest table and just take a moment to myself.

Maybe I couldn't do this…

Everyone hated me; no one wanted me here; I don't think I even wanted to be here. What was the point?

Oh yeah. I have to 'live'.

Whatever that word means. Because apparently eating, breathing, and sleeping isn't enough. 'Living' is supposedly so much more than that. Taking risks; doing stuff you've never done before; living care- free.

I used to 'live' until living caused this. What was the point of living if it only caused the loss of life?

Suddenly, two of my best friends walked in talking in slow whispers as if afraid of their own voices. Demi looked a little less bright, but there she was. Still the dark- haired, constantly high- heeled wearing friend I knew and loved. She didn't look too bad except for a few bags under her eyes. I even caught a hint of a smile, aside that it was a little more than forced.

Sadly, I couldn't say the same for Selena. Her hair was in a messy ponytail revealing her red- rimmed eyes. She was wearing absolutely no make- up on, and instead of wearing her usual high- waisted skirt and floral top, she was in jeans and a jacket that was three sizes too big for her. I instantly recognized it too.

Liam had worn it on our very first kiss.

My chest tightened from the remembrance of his name, but I pushed it back. And Selena didn't know the importance of that jacket to me. She couldn't have know. It's been more than a year…. Yet I still had to hold myself in from ripping the jacket off her petite body.

It was mine. It was supposed to be mine.

"Miles," Demi stopped short as she came face- to – face with me. I stopped breathing. I spent all week trying to figure out how I was going to meet them again. What I was going to say. What I was going to do, but at the moment nothing could come out.

Selena's eyes grew wide as she met my eyes before breaking into another set of tears. Before I could reach over to help her, she had turned around with her hands on her face and ran out of the cafeteria.

I stepped forward to help her, but Demi stopped me.

"Don't. She needs time," Demi explained sympathetically. Finally, Demi looked at me. It was a mix of fear, curiosity, and distance.

"Stop looking at me like that."

She looked down instantly as she toyed with a strand of hair. "Like what?"

"Like I'm about to bring out a gun and kill everyone."

Her eyes grew darker and I knew she was scared. Great.

"I was joking, Demi." She stood there silently refusing to meet my eyes. "I'm going to go look for Selena," I started but Demi stopped me.

"He was her brother, Miles." She refused to meet my eyes and I wasn't sure if it was from awkwardness or fear. I knew that Liam and Selena were close. They were those type of siblings that talked about life and got along no matter what. Liam was the big brother that was sometimes too protective over Selena, and Selena was the little sister that always looked up to her big brother like a hero. Selena had been the one that introduced me to Liam actually. We had met at the beginning of freshman year and I knew Liam from around school; he was popular, but I didn't actually KNOW him. I was almost about to smile from remembering the first time we met, but the piercing in my heart stopped me.

"Why weren't you at the funeral?" she asked quietly.

Now it was my turn to stare at the floor, remembering that day. I was planning to go. I had everything laid out. My black lace dress, my flats, the necklace that Liam had given to me on our first anniversary just a few months before; I even knew what I was planning to say when I stood in front of his casket. But by the time we were about to leave, I couldn't do it. I left everything I had prepared at the corner of my room untouched. I couldn't face anyone; not yet. I had spent the afternoon staring at the ceiling and pushing away the guilt of not saying my goodbyes. But I did say goodbye to him. Right before I had reached for the gun…

"I didn't kill him if that's what you're thinking," I answered, trying my best to make sure I wasn't shaking.

"I never said you did, but you're not telling anyone anything, Mi. They evacuated the school after the first few gun shots in the cafeteria. You and Liam were the only ones left at school."

"We weren't the only ones," I gritted between my teeth.

Demi's eyes widened for a few seconds before she finally got it out in a whisper. "Miley. What happened that day?"

I crossed my arms over my chest and said the words I had practiced.

The answer I've said over and over again in the last week.

"I don't remember."

Instead of arguing, Demi just sighed and closed her locker. "You can't hide it forever, Miles." And finally she walked away leaving me alone.

* * *

_July 15, 2009; 4: 26 P.M.  
_

_Liam had picked me up in his old mustang that his Dad had just given him for his 17__th__ birthday. He had been so proud that he even insisted on naming it. Right now, he was caught between Paul or Booster. I told him Booster was a stupid name, but Liam being Liam said it had spunk. So I told him to choose that, but then he said it might have too much spunk. Eventually, he decided on Paulster. _

_But instead of driving around town showing off the 'Paulster', we ended up parked at the side of the road while I cried my eyes out. _

"_Shhh," Liam whispered as he stroked my hair. "It's going to be okay."_

_I shook my head. "No. It's not."_

_My parents are getting a divorce and my mom is moving to Arizona without me. WITHOUT me, Liam. She's bringing the twins but not me. How is that supposed to make me feel?"_

"_Like crap probably," he said with pure honesty, and I actually cracked a smile. _

"_Exactly. Like crap."_

_Finally he moved his hand and placed it at the side of my cheek, stroking it with his thumb. "Hey, babe. You still have me," he grinned that goofy smile that made his eyes shine. "Isn't that enough?"_

_That was Liam. He always believed in that good side in life. The one where the grass always grew, and the sun always shined, and parents didn't just abandon their daughters. But I guess that was part of what I fell for.__ I leaned forward to lean my head on his shoulder and relaxed as I smelled the familiar scent of pine and coffee. _

_"Yeah. I think it is." _

_He was enough. He was always enough. _


	3. Chapter 2: The Truths About Meeting

_**September 29, 2008; 8:35 A.M. **  
_

_ I started doodling a picture of a bird on the corner of my history notebook when Mrs. Landon walked in carrying a stack of packets. "First project of your high school lives," she exclaimed causing an outburst of protest and moans from the seats. _

_ "Partners. You're working with the person next to you. No complaining," but the room still moaned again. I looked to my left and saw Sara Newman toying with the bands in her braces again. Hastily and almost desperately, I turned to my right and found Selena Perry sitting in her seat blanked out in space. _

_ "Hey," I said waving a hand in front of her face. She broke out of the trance almost instantly. _

_ "Hey," she smiled a perfectly white- toothed smile. _

_ I tapped my desk nervously. "Um.. I was wondering if you wanted to work on the project with me." _

_ She raised an eyebrow. I mean, we never talked before this. Well not a real conversation. And we had known each other since kindergarten. I guess we just run in different circles. She was always social and full of life, making everyone around her smile. I was one of those kids that only had one or two really close friends and preferred spending my Saturday nights home by myself._

_ Or in my case, with my sketch book or canvas'. _

_ Selena leaned over to look behind me and caught the sight of Sara Newman whom I was assuming was still playing her braces bands, because she broke into a sweet laugh. "I see. Well, sure. I'm Selena if you didn't know."_

_ "I know. We've gone to school together since kindergarten."_

_ "Well I think we all have," she grinned looking around the room. She had a point. This town was small enough to only have one or two elementary schools and only one high school. "Well, be at my house at around… 5. We're neighbors right?" _

_ "Yeah," I answered back wondering if she really had noticed me all these years. Suddenly, the bell ran and she picked up her bag quickly. _

_ "Sorry. Lacrosse practice. I'll see you later, Miley."_

_ And in a matter of seconds she was out of the door. _

_

* * *

**March 25, 2010; 8:35 A.M. (Present Day)**  
_

My first class was history, and to my luck I came in late causing everyone's eyes to turn towards me the minute I stepped inside. In the same moment, the whispers and stares began again. This time I had built up enough strength to block it out and find an empty seat in the back corner of the room.

I had made it safely to the back and was about to relax when Selena walked into the room, her eyes still red- rimmed. Again, the whispers erupted but unlike mine, they were whispers of sympathy and care.

But that was just Selena. Everyone loved her.

She apologized to Mrs. Landon before scanning the room for a seat. Her gaze stopped when she met mine.

Including the seat next to mine which was the only one left.

Crap.

She seemed to waver as she looked at the door she had just walked into as if wanting to flee. My hands almost instinctively reached out, but I held it back. How was I going to try to explain to her what happened when I couldn't even tell myself? To my surprise, instead of asking Mrs. Landon for another seat, she made her way slowly towards me. By the time she had gotten to her seat, she kept her gaze fixed on the tiled floor, refusing to meet my eyes. She placed her books in between us (not sure if on purpose or not) and tilted her body so it wasn't facing mine.

Once the teacher started the lesson, she had engrossed herself in her history textbook. Her hair was a mess of brown waves that I could tell hadn't been combed through. And she was wearing a pair of high- top converse sneakers that I could only recognize as Liam's. How she had been able to fit into them, I didn't know, but at that moment, I felt a sudden pain in my chest. It was a hint of almost jealousy, and wanting.

I wanted to be the one who was protected by his clothing. I was the one who wanted to have his familiar scent of pine to linger on my skin. I was the one who wanted to be covered in him. Just him.

I knew it was selfish of me, but I couldn't help it. When you're in love, you're not thinking sanely. You constantly just want, and need, and live.

"Selena," I whispered trying to catch her attention. The silent treatment wasn't working for me.

She cringed as if almost in pain from hearing my voice. What was she thinking? That it was probably the last voice that her brother had heard before he had died? Or maybe just the presence of my voice after almost weeks.

"Selena, please. Talk to me."

And to my surprise she turned towards me, trying to look strong, but her shoulders were still shaking. She opened her mouth as if prepared to say something, but in the moment she seemed to lose the courage.

"Selena. Just listen to me. I'm sorry I didn't show up to the funeral. I'm sorry for what happened to Liam. I'm sorry for everything."

She turned towards the front of the room again as if I hadn't said anything at all.

Great. There goes my apology.

And before I could get anything else out, the bell had rung and Selena had picked up her stuff in the matter of seconds. As she was ready to go, I pulled her arm and she flinched almost in fear.

"Selena, please."

She turned towards me, but her eyes didn't meet mine. Instead they focused on her knotted hands that grasped her books so tightly that her knuckles had gone pale.

"Selena," I tried again. And suddenly my mind blanked out. What was I supposed to say to her? I'm sorry that Liam had died and that I'm the only suspect on the list? Instead I asked the first thing that popped into my mind. "Are you going to Lacrosse practice?"

Instead of answering or telling me all about how the annoying freshman players on her team kept getting in the way, she took a deep shaky breathe and pushed my hand away from her arm.

"Please," she whispered. "Just leave me alone."

And she turned around and disappeared among the crowd of students.

* * *

_**September 29, 2008; 5:14**_

_"Wow. This is a huge house," I admired as Selena let me in. It had a Spanish- style design but still had that modern twist to it. There must have been three floors not including the garage and guest house that was in the back. _

_ "Thanks," she said quickly, dropping her lacrosse stuff next to another sports bag. _

_ "MOMMMMM. I have a friend over," she screamed as she sent me upstairs while she looked for her mom. _

_ "Third door to the left," she explained. I made my way towards the spiral staircase still amazed at how much money her family had. _

_ 1…_

_ 2…_

_ 3… I stopped in front of a half- opened door where music from The Killers was blasting out. The complete opposite of the kind of music I had expected Selena to listen to. I pushed through the door expecting to see Selena's clean and tucked in bed with her lacrosse trophies placed on polished oak shelves, but instead I stood face to face with a guy who was pulling up weights. _

_ It wouldn't have been so weird, if he had been wearing a shirt._

_ Which he wasn't. _

_ And if he wasn't glistening in sweat._

_ Which he was. _

_ "I.. uh,.. um.. oh god," I turned around to go, but he called me back._

_ "Hey," he raised an eyebrow as he sat up, his muscles rippling… and I was noticing it… _

_ "Hi," I said a little too quickly. I stood near the foot of the doorway with no intention of coming closer to this half- naked, sweaty, … really good- looking guy. _

_ "And you are?" he asked as he grabbed a towel to wrap around his shoulders. _

_ "Your robber," I cracked a smile, and he smiled back. It was perfect. Similar to Selena's, yet different. His had a sense of goofiness and innocence. _

_ "Well, nice to meet you," he smiled at me and I felt my heart caught in my throat. _

_ Breathe._

_ Breathe._

_ Breathe._

_ Aw hell with it. I giggled and toyed with a strand of my hair. _

_ "MILEYYYYYYYYY," I heard Selena's voice coming up the stairs. _

"_Hm… A beautiful robber with a pretty name like Miley. They need more of you in this field of work," he grinned and I felt myself smiling. Did he really just call my name pretty? Or even better. Did he just call me beautiful?_

_ He stood up to shake my hand, and my eyes traveled to his bare chest which was now inches before me. He seemed to notice my stare as he broke out into another soft grin, and reached out in a nearby drawer to put on those smart- ass t- shirts that always made you smile. _

_ "Stop reading my shirt?"I laughed as I read it out loud. _

_ He laughed shyly and stuffed his hands in his shorts pockets. "So…"_

_ But Selena walked in that exact moment. Thank god he was at least wearing a shirt now. "Liam. What the heck do you think you're doing luring my history partner in here. I'm sorry Miley for having to witness this mess," she eyed his unwashed laundry and weights which were scattered all across his room. _

_ "Hey," he put his hands up defensively. "Not my fault that my charm lures girls in."_

_ Selena smirked and crossed her arms. "Sure, sure." _

_ "Sorry. It was my fault. I accidentally walked into his room while he was uh…"_

_ "Oh my god. Did I say 3 to the left? I meant 4. Sorry about that"_

_ I blushed not minding at all. "No problem. So should we start our project?"_

_ And before I knew it, Selena was dragging me out of the room. _

_ "Hey, Miley!" Liam called out from his room once we were half- way across the hall. "Don't even try getting away with Selena's beloved trophies or you're a dead girl. Just warning you."_

_ I laughed remembering the robber joke, but Selena turned towards me confused. "What is he talking about?"_

_ I bit my lip trying to hold back another laugh and shrugged. "I have no idea." _

_

* * *

**March 25, 2010; 12:17 P.M. (Present Day)**  
_

Lunch. This was going to be interesting. To my advantage, I had packed my own lunch which made sure I didn't have to bump into Selena all day including the rest of the teenage population. The cafeteria was the biggest time of the school day. There always seemed to be something going on or something to talk about; in this case it was me. The last thing that could make my day a slightly bit better would probably be walking into that lunch room. I had only been back a few hours, and I was already tired of the whispers and the stares. Why couldn't people just believe me when I said: I DIDN'T do it.

But that was life. No one trusted anyone.

Honestly, to pass all this 'I'm brave. I can do this' crap, right now, the only thing I believe in is the fact that I'm scared to death. I wasn't ready to face Selena. Not even Demi. Or anyone for that matter.

And I was sure that none of them wanted to see me either.

I found a comfortable and secluded spot outside at the front field. I took a seat on a stone bench that seemed like the perfect hiding spot; secluded, private, quiet... The only problem was that it was too quiet. Too much quiet for my thoughts to fill it in. And that was what I was trying to hold back for the last week.

Ideas.

Thoughts.

Memories.

I took my iPod out of my front pocket and put on the earplugs already beginning to relax as a loud and dark rock band was blasting through my ears. The noise was enough to block out anything from passing through the protective barriers of my mind. I took a bag of chips and just closed my eyes imagining myself somewhere else but here.

After I had gone through half my bag of chips, a familiar song began playing, and I felt myself press the stop button instantly. I looked down at the screen and saw The Killers blink and blink and blink.

Almost as if taunting me.

I pulled out my earplugs instantly and placed my iPod on my lap, when I heard a soft rustle of footsteps behind me. I turned around surprised to see Nick Hanson standing there with his hands stuffed in his pockets and his eyes wide as if he had been caught doing something wrong.

"Hey," I said questioningly. How long had he been standing there?

"Hey," he nodded his head, and I shifted in my seat awkwardly. Here was Liam's best friend; probably just another person who was blaming me. Blaming me why he hadn't shown up to English class late as usual, why he wasn't goofing around the cafeteria with his friends, why he hadn't shown up to football practice this morning. But instead of walking away like I expected, Nick took the seat next to me and just sat there.

Not trying to make conversation.

Not trying to make me feel guilty.

Not doing anything except just sitting there.

"So…" I said awkwardly. "How's your day been so far?"

Wow, Miley. How's your day been so far? The whole school is in a freakin depression.

But instead of sneering or doing anything to even make me feel worse like everyone else, he shrugged easily like how he would if I had asked him a few weeks ago; before all of this. "Nothing really. Trig was pretty stupid today. I asked for a hall pass to use the bathroom and spent the rest of the class in my car."

"How'd you get past security?"

"C'mon, Miles," he laughed. "Have you seen the security in this school? Just give him a chocolate bar and you can get away with anything." He turned towards me, and for the first time that day, something that no one had the courage to do… He looked at me.

Like, actually looked at me.

So much that I wondered how I never noticed how soft yet bright his eyes seemed to shine when his mouth curled up into those smirks. Or how his cheeks would blush causing his face to almost transform completely. And for once, he looked innocent.

Good- looking.

Extremely good- looking.

The minute it went past my head, I shook it away. This was Liam's best friend. What was I doing? "Sucks," I finally said as I shook away my thoughts. "I have Trig next."

"Skip it."

"Excuse me?"

"Skip it," he said matter- of- factly as if he had just told me to walk a few feet.

"Yeah, but unlike you, I don't have a car to hide out in."

He ran his hand through his curls again, something I took note that he did whenever he was thinking. "Well, I never liked Spanish class anyway. Let's get some real food," he smirked as he sat my half- empty bag of chips sitting next to me. For the past week, I hadn't been able to eat anything. And when I tried, I'd just throw it all back up. It was like my body refused to let me go on. And I instantly took it as a sign that I wasn't supposed to.

Maybe I wasn't supposed to be here right now.

Maybe I was supposed to be with Liam.

Maybe Liam was supposed to be here right now.

Maybe I wasn't.

"So what do you say? I know the perfect place. Burgers, burritos, sushi all in one place."

I looked down at my hands and wondered how he could treat me so… nicely. I could have possibly killed his best friend. I could possibly have killed 3 other of his classmates, but he was still sitting here next to me as if we were good friends about to go out like everything was normal.

But it wasn't.

Not even close.

"Why are you doing this?" I finally asked, but my voice came out in a soft whisper.

"Doing what?" he looked at me oblivious.

"Acting as if what happened didn't happen."

"You mean that Liam is dead?"

My head snapped up almost instantly. I almost had to make sure that I had heard what he had said correctly. As I opened my mouth, searching for something to say, something to ask, something to make sense of what was going on, Nick looked at me with such honesty and openness that I was tempted to look away.

And when I did, I heard Nick sigh next to me.

"You can't move on from the truth, if you can't accept it," he said and I couldn't help but accept that it was true. I just wasn't ready to take his words in. I knew Liam was dead; I knew he would never come back; I knew that what had happened couldn't just undo itself, but I also knew that I wasn't strong enough to stand up to the truth. I stared at the iPod sitting on my lap with the Killers song still on pause. It was our song. It would always be our song.

Trying to pretend like I hadn't heard him, I stuffed the rest of my lunch in my backpack along with my iPod before standing up.

"Can we go now?"

Nick's eyes widened surprised before a small smile broke through.

"I thought you'd never ask."

"That's disgusting," I stared at Nick's tray; a mix of food from the Antonio's Pizzeria, Burrito Mexicano, and Sushi Japan. He stuffed an enormous bite from his pizza and a piece of sushi all in one bite.

"Look who's talking," he smirked motioning towards my ketchup topped pizza.

I took a teasing bite onto my pizza and stuck my tongue out. "Delicious. Try it."

He shook his head causing his jet black curls to bounce onto his forehead. I guess he didn't know me enough. I reached over and stuffed the pizza in his face, so much that he had to take a bite. For the first few chews, his face scrunched up, but by the time he had swallowed it, he grabbed for my pizza again.

"Damn. You were right," he smirked as he devoured my pizza in almost three bites.

And for the first time in weeks, I laughed.

Nick seemed to stop for a moment to just look at me. I don't know whether it was because I was laughing or if I just looked stupid, but it made me stop too. I blushed looking down, trying to push away the thought that he might be staring at me for me.

Not because I was known as the girl who killed her boyfriend.

Or the freaky art girl.

Or even just some girl.

That maybe, just maybe, there was a chance he was staring at me because I was me.

"What?" I finally asked, finding the confidence to look back into those eyes.

He shook his head as if embarrassed. "I don't know. You just look different when you laugh."

I raised an eyebrow not sure if that was a compliment or not.

"So… Is this where you go to usually when you ditch?" I asked trying to change the subject. He seemed willing to as he nodded.

"I find this place interesting."

"Nick… It's a food court."

He smirked at me. "It's not the place. It's the people. Ever since freshman year I used to just sit here and watch the people around me. The ways that humans act are pretty amusing."

I cracked a soft smile. "Like what? This place is filled with puberty- hit teenagers whose parents refuse to give them allowance just so they can get them out of the house. Mystery solved."

He grinned before scanning around the room. His expression seemed satisfied as he turned back towards me. "Look over there. That guy is going to put his arm around his girlfriend, but the girl's going to be a complete tease and push him away. And then he's going to do it over and over again to tease her until she finally accepts it to 'stop him from annoying her'."

And in the next few minutes, every single thing Nick had said happened.

"Holy crap," I whispered. "How did you do that?"

He shrugged and pulled his polo sleeves up to his elbows, making him look a little more casual than dark and formal. "There's at least 12 of those that walk in everyday. That's the easy part. The tricky ones are when you can't put them into a category."

I raised a curious eyebrow. "And what are the categories?"

He took a sip of his coke before taking out his fingers to count. "Teenage couples, Adult couples, mother dragging along her kids, friend hanging with a friend, friends hanging with a whole group of friends, and my favorite: Elderly Get- Togethers."

"How about the people that come here alone?"

"But that's the thing. Almost no one comes here alone. Those are the people that can get tricky. Everyone is too scared if they have no one here with them. To talk to; to shop with; to eat with; to fight with. All that stuff. No one wants to be alone. They all want someone next to them to depend on. That's why they're so rare."

"You come here alone," I concluded.

"Exactly," he grinned, and for the second time that day, I laughed.

I checked my phone almost instinctively and was surprised to see that it was already 4:30. "I got to go," I said, picking up my jacket and bag.

Nick stood up too. "It's fine. I can drive you home."

And probably for the hundredth time that day, I blushed again. "Seriously?"

"Yeah," he smiled before leading me outside and back to his car.

By the time we got home, we had a short and awkward goodbye, before I got inside to find my Mom on the phone.

Probably with other people curious to hear the story. Luckily, she had become an expert at telling the story. Not too much detail; not too little. Not too harsh; but not overdoing it on the tears. I guess she had to get good at it if hundreds of people around town were asking if I was crazy and killed the guys at school.

Sighing, I climbed up the stairs to my room and collapsed on my bed. Suddenly a thought just popped into my head.

Because for the first in weeks, I was able to spend almost half the day without being reminded that my life was anything but normal.

For a few hours, I actually forgot the fact that I was being labeled a murder.

For a few hours, I actually forgot that I was the prime suspect in a high school killing.

For a few hours, I actually forgot about Liam…


	4. Chapter 3: The Truths About Anger

_**A/N: I know I already uploaded this chapter, but I had to re- upload it because I added an extra part in the end I forgot to add before. It ended up being pretty important so review and tell me what you think of the story so far. :)**_

* * *

_**March 26, 2010 9:24 A.M. {Present- Day}**_

The next day at school was pretty much a re- run of yesterday.

Humiliating.

Slow.

Alone.

History first period with Selena was pretty much as I expected; ignoring my existence while I sat there trying to think up ways to explain to her what happened.

No such luck.

I've seen Demi in the halls too, but she's always been surrounded by huge groups of people that I never actually had a chance to go up to her and talk in private. They were like her shield, her protection, even her security… The only problem was that they were protecting her away from me.

Again, I watched from my distant spot on the stone bench as Demi and Selena were swallowed up in the protective crowd.

"Hey," a familiar voice whispered behind me. I turned around to see Nick Hanson sleekly dressed in a white v- neck t-shirt underneath a leather jacket that was basically his trade-mark look. "What are you doing? Just watching?"

I couldn't tell if he had seen where or more specifically who I was staring at, but he didn't seem to pry as I just shrugged my shoulders loosely. In a few moments, silence slipped over as he just sat there again looking at me. As if instinctively, I slipped my iPod out of my backpack and slid my earphones back in place. A Paramore song began blasting through, filling up the empty spaces of my mind.

"Brick by Boring Brick?" Nick smirked as he leaned his arms behind him casually. It almost hurt to look at him. The thing with Nick Hanson was that he was flawless. Clear white porcelain skin, big soft brown eyes that made girls melt, well- built muscled arms, perfect locks of jet black curls, and a good heart. The only problem was that people were too intimidated by his mysterious look to completely notice these things about him. Even I haven't noticed it until right now. Finally, I caught him studying me again.

"You're weird," he finally said, and I sat there shocked feeling a piercing in my chest. "Good weird," he supported quickly, spotting the hurt on my face. "Most of the people in this town all blend in together. You can never tell who's who sometimes. You're different. Quieter… more mysterious I guess."

I smirked and looked at him. "I'm mysterious? Look who's talking, Mr. I'."

He laughed and shrugged. "I'm not a party person."

"I've noticed."

He turned towards me again with a hint of a smile that I couldn't read. "You're not either as I've heard."

"You have heard correctly. The only reason I've been to some of those things is because Liam drags m…" I stopped instantly. It almost surprised me at how easily I could just say his name. Like nothing happened at all. Like he was about to swagger down those stone steps and beg me to go with him to another party that Saturday.

I looked down again, refusing to meet Nick's eyes. I knew he had seen me waver from saying his name. Silence took over again and I had never been so glad to have my iPod in hand. I turned up the volume as loud as it could go until it was blasting full force in my eardrums causing my heart to beat with every slam of the drum line.

Yet, somehow, through all this noise, I was still able to hear the following words.

"Why are you so afraid?" Nick's voice was straight- forward; fearless, you might even call it.

"I'm not afraid," I slashed back harshly, though I couldn't find the strength in me to look at him. Instead of answering, he just shook his head almost as if I had said something wrong. He stood up, taking his backpack casually on one shoulder.

"I take that back. You're not as different as I thought you would be."

* * *

_**November 6, 2008 6: 26 P.M. **_

"Hey, Stewart. Robbing us again?" Liam strode in to Selena's room wearing a football jersey. He probably just got back from practice.

"Hey, Liam," I said awkwardly, trying not to remember that the last time I had seen him outside of school was when I had walked into him half- naked.

"Where's Sel?"

"Kidnapped."

He laughed as he took a seat across the bed which I was lying on. "So what are you guys up to? Something bad? If yes, then let me join."

I slapped his shoulder playfully and giggled. "No. Nothing bad. Just talking about girl stuff. School. Clothes. Make- up. Guys."

He waggled an eyebrow causing me to laugh. "Guys. Hm… Who's the guy in your life, Stewart? I don't think I've ever seen you with a boyfriend."

I shrugged tying my best to hide the blush that was spreading my face. "That's because I don't have one."

"Well, you should," Liam grinned that lopsided grin that made me go crazy.

I looked at him and met his blue eyes that reminded me of a clear sky; simple and breath- taking. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged and a second later, Selena walked into the room with snacks. "Hey- Liam? What are you doing in here? Stop hiting on my friends. It's creeping us out."

He grinned again, but this time he looked straight at me. "What if I don't want to."

Selena groaned next to me as I sat there with my heart caught in my throat. Was he really interested in me? Was I interested in him? Before I could get anything out, Selena had pushed him out of the room.

"Sorry about that. Liam can get really weird when friends are around. Usually, he's a little less weird though."

"Does he have a girlfriend?" Miley asked trying her best to seem casual. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and tried to act like she was paying more attention to her magazine.

Selena was just too good.

"EW. Did you really just ask that? NO, NO, NO, Miley. Liam is… he's… he is not for you. I know your type," Selena scrunched her nose up as if still in disbelief of the thought.

I laughed rolling on her stomach. "And what's my type, Sel?"

She shrugged, biting her lip. "I don't know. Just not… him. I guess I see you as the serious type. My brother messes around with way too many girls. He CANNOT keep a serious relationship."

I kept silent and continued to stare at the open page of the magazine, but not really reading it. I wasn't surprised. I knew about Liam's history with other girls, but I always assumed… more like wished that it was all a myth; that Selena would clear it up and tell me that he was a one- man guy.

"Well, he does act different with you…" Selena droned on as she began applying nail polish on her right hand perfectly. I guess that was an upside when you're a lefty and a righty. I didn't say anything back, but she didn't have to. "FINE. I'll go find out what he thinks about you, and THEN will you get over this little crush of yours?"

"Are you serious?" I squealed from Selena's bed throwing the magazine on the floor.

"Aw. What the heck. This is going to be way too fun. But if he says you're an ugly pig or something don't come crying to me. I warned you about him," Selena laughed, blowing on her perfect coral red nails.

"Thanks. That was supportive," I rolled my eyes teasingly.

But Selena got serious. "Really, Miley. I don't want you to get hurt. Or for you to hurt him. Whatever happens…. I just don't want anything to change or…"

"What?"

Selena bit her lip, something she did whenever she was holding something back. "Just be careful okay. Liam's a more complicated guy than you think. And if something goes wrong with you two, you have to tell me. Promise?"

"Promise," I lied.

* * *

_**March 26, 2010 3:14 P.M.**__** {Present- Day}**_

"Hey," Miley called out catching up to Demi.

"Hey," Demi said, looking around as if wanting to be anywhere else but here with her.

"Can you at least look at me?" Miley pleaded. It almost surprised her how desperate her voice sounded… almost feeling. Demi seemed to have caught her change in tone as she slowly leveled her black marble eyes to meet Miley's. "Listen. I was wondering if you wanted to hang out this today. Mall like usual?" But Demi stayed quiet… like she wasn't sure she had heard her right. "Like old times," Miley swallowed. It was amazing to think that what was 'old times' was just a few weeks ago.

Demi looked down at her black chipped nail polish, an obsession of hers ever since the beginning of high school, before nodding. Miley bit back a smile knowing that she shouldn't get too excited. Awkwardly, Miley reached in for a hug, and despite the fact that it was cold, distant, and even awkward, she couldn't let go.

"I've missed you, you know," Demi whispered shakily. It was so quiet as if it were only meant to tell herself and not Miley.

"I've missed you too," Miley whispered back as they pulled away. Miley swore she saw a hint of a smile play on her best friend's face, but a cough and a loud storm of footsteps echoed behind us.

"Demi," Joe called out. He seemed angry as he pulled her arm possessively. This was the first time I had seen him in weeks. His hair was a complete mess of uncombed waves of black and his eyes were buried with lines underneath. I wouldn't have been able to recognize him if I didn't hear his voice. "Let's go," he gritted between his teeth as he pulled Demi away, not even taking notice of Miley's presence. Miley and Joe were never really that close, but they got along. They were even what you would call pretty good friends. He was Demi's boyfriend for two years, one of Liam's best friends, and one of the most popular guys in school. He might have had a troublesome record here and there, but even Miley knew that he was a sweet guy with a good heart. He was also Nick Hanson's big brother.

"So I'll see you later?" Miley called out awkwardly as she watched Joe and Demi walk down the hall and out of the doors. Before they had left, Demi had turned her head to look at her, and all Miley could read on her face was apology and regrets. She couldn't tell which was for her or if any of them were even for her or even if both were.

Suddenly, Miley was left alone in the hallway staring down the locker covered walls that she had once felt safe to walk through. When she looked at them now, she only saw flashes of running… blood… heavy footsteps chasing after them… or maybe it was her own. By now, everything was too mashed up in her head to make sense.

Just like she wanted it to be.

A small shuffle of paper or even voices caught Miley's attention. She turned around looking to her left, then to her right, and then behind her. Her skin was crawling as she felt her heart drumming in her chest. Someone was watching her.

Holding her breath, she clutched her backpack and took one last long look at the empty hallway behind her before running through the double doors and making her escape.

* * *

_**December 1, 2010 7: 56 A.M.**_

"Hey," Liam caught up to her in the hallway. He had on his football jersey which stretched over him so flawlessly that Miley couldn't help but stare. Demi and Selena giggled next to her and suddenly she wished that they were alone. Luckily, Selena seemed to get the message as she dragged Demi away from us and into the girl's bathroom where I knew they would just start gossiping about us anyway.

"Hey," Miley smiled shyly, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. He seemed to be as nervous as me as he ran his hands through his short blond waves over and over again that it ended up sticking on the top of his head. Miley couldn't help but giggle and reached over to straighten it out for him. Suddenly, she noticed what she was doing and brought her hands back to her sides embarrassed. For the next few minutes, they walked down the hall in silence.

"Why is this so much harder than it needs to me," he grumbled to himself as if forgetting I was standing right next to him.

"What are you talking about?" Miley asked raising an eyebrow.

He ran his hands through his hair again. "It's just that… Well, I ask girls out so many times… well, not so many," he coughed awkwardly, and Miley felt as if time froze. Did he just say 'ask out'? "But, I have no idea why I'm so nervous around you," he laughed awkwardly, stuffing his hands into his jeans pockets.

"I guess I'm weird like that," Miley grinned as she approached her locker, leaning on it casually even though her heart was going crazy doing cartwheels and all that other stuff that hearts do when you couldn't be happier in your life.

"Or maybe you're just special like that," he smiled back as a group of junior girls walked past by. Soon, stares started shooting towards them, but Miley didn't care. Right now, it was only her and Liam. It would always only be her and Liam.

"So…" Miley raised an eyebrow. "What are you trying to say, Liam?"

"What I'm trying to say is… that I like you, and you make me go crazy, and I would love to take you out to a movie on Friday. Simple enough?"

Miley felt herself blush crimson. His words were still forming together in her head as if making sure it wasn't an illusion, but she seemed to find a calm to nod back. He broke into his signature lopsided grin, the one that made Miley just have to smile back. To Miley's harsh luck, the third bell rang a few seconds later.

"Well, I'll see you later then?" Liam grinned, walking backwards down the hall.

"Friday," Miley called out smiling.

"Friday," Liam repeated, still walking backwards. He caught up to his friends who were messing with a few freshman kids before continuing to class. Miley watched him with a building smile as she tried to calm the beating inside of her chest that continued way after he disappeared down the hall.

* * *

_**March 26, 2010 9: 30**__** {Present- Day}**_

Miley toyed with her straw as she took cautious sips from her iced water. Demi had promised her she'd meet up with her at the mall food court, but she was already almost an hour late. She was starting to wonder if this really was the right choice or if she was just making a fool of herself. Just as Miley was about to stand up and leave, Demi rushed in looking like a mess. Her clothes looked wrinkled and baggy and her eyes wear tearing.

"Demi?" Miley called out waving her hands. Demi caught them and walked over a little unsurely as if wanting to just turn and run out of the double doors. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Demi took a seat across from me and looked at her hands. "I can't be here," she whispered.

"What do you mean Your parents grounded you?"

She bit her lip and shook her head. "I just can't be here."

"Cut the bulllcrap, Demi. Why the hell are you acting so bipolar around me?" Miley stormed out. She didn't even realize how much confusion and anger she had been holding back until now.

Demi tucked a strand of raven black hair behind her ear, revealing a small swollen scar. "It's not me, Miley," she sobbed. "It's... it's just complicated."

Miley reached over so she could look at Demi clearly. "Is it Joe?"

Demi cleared her throat and didn't answer... But she didn't need to. Miley already knew. Demi knew she knew. She was just too scared to admit it.

"Do you know what happened, Miles? Do you even have any idea who else died that day?"

Now it was miley's turn to look down. Her parents had tried to sit her down to tell her, b ut she just wans't strong enough to hear it. And everyone at school was too scared to talk about it, so Miley wasn't really able to find out.

"Miles, We were all in the cafeteria when it happened. Remember. When you and Liam kinda... disapppeared."

"We didn't disappear, Demi. We were-" Miley droned out, not really knowing how to answer.

"So it was just me, Sel, Nick, Joe, and Kevin in our table when the shooting began. Miley... Kevin died that day."

Miley paused holding back a cry. How could Kevin just be gone? He was supposed to go to Stanford next year. He had a beautiful girlfriend who he planned on marrying after graduating. He had two supportive brothers and two amazing parents. These things never happened to kids like him. It just didn't.

"He died instantly," Demi continued. "He was hit in the head, and the doctors said he died instantly."

Miley stayed silent so Demi continued.

"I guess that's a good thing. You know, no pain. I think that's what made Joe feel a little better."

Miley looked up. "Is that why Joe's so angry at me? Because he thinks I killed him?"

"Something along those lines," Demi answered, her voice getting quiet.

"What about you? Do you believe me, Demi?"

"I don't know," she shook her head and placed it in her hands.

"So what? You think I just went around and started shooting everyone for no damn reason? I loved everyone at that school. Why the fuck would I do that?" Miley explained calmly, but she could see Demi cringe across from her as if shocked by her words.

"Miles-" Demi tried to get out as her eyes grew wide.

"I think you should go," Miley whispered as she toyed with the straw of her water. As if not knowing what else to say or do, Demi stood up shakily and put on her jacket. She opened her mouth as if she were going to say something else, but she bit her lip and held it back. Not saying anything else, she walked out of the food court.

And for once, Miley felt relieved to finally be alone.


	5. Chapter 4: The Truths About Secrets

_**March 30th, 2010 **__**{Present Day}**_

I got a job. It isn't much, but it kept me away from home and everything. Some places just have too much memories. I have to report to the Lynn Bookstore right after school at the City View Mall. It was either that or working at the taco stand at the farthest corner of the mall, and I think all rational people would have chosen what I had. Luckily, no one I knew worked there or went to buy there, probably because it's a used book store. All people want these days are shiny, new, untouched possessions that they can only call theirs. I was once like that.

Until I lost it.

But then again, this town was too small for anything to pass by, and the school 'massacre' as they had called it was news that was not left unheard. They all knew about it. They all knew about me. They all thought they knew what happened, but they didn't. No one did, except me and even I'm starting to forget… But something like this can never be erased from your memory. No matter how hard you try. Liam knows also, but he just isn't here to tell it.

Sometimes I wish I was that lucky.

"Okay, so welcome to Lynn Bookstore. You're going to working at the front register from 4-6. Then from 6- 9, you'll switch to re-stocking books. Got it?" the red- faced man who probably didn't give a damn about books asked in front of me. My eyes wandered towards the cigar in his mouth. I wonder if he knew that it could kill him, or that it could kill me if he kept blowing it all over my face.

"Oh. Your partner is here. He'll be helping you get set with sorting and everything. I'm sure you won't have any problems, so just get working," he blew into my face again. Smoke filled my lungs causing me to drive into hysterical fits of coughs. Frustrated, I pulled the cigar out of his mouth and made a perfect shot into the trash can next to the register.

"They really are bad for you," I tried to smile innocently, but he seemed a little too shocked to respond. I bit my lip feeling a firing coming on, and I technically hadn't even started working yet. Then, my saving angel spoke behind me.

"Hey, Mr. Opal. Call on line 3," a familiar voice called out. I turned around quickly to come face to face with the one and only Nick Hanson. A wide amused grin was slapped on his face, which kind of surprised me because of the semi- fight we had a few days ago. Along with the fact, I've been ignoring him… and he's been probably doing the same as well.

"Fine, fine,Nicholas. Get to work, Ms. Stewart." And with that he turned on his heels and strutted back into his office bringing all 300 pounds of him behind him.

"He's one heck of a boss, huh," Nick grinned standing next to me. His arms were crossed and he was still wearing his leather jacket behind his cheesy green apron with the label Lynn's Bookstore.

"What are you doing here?"

He casually walked to a shelf and arranged a stack of books on a tray. "Patterson… Patterson. Ah. Here," he whispered to himself as he placed a stack of books neatly on the shelf. "I'm working," he finally answered as he grabbed another stack of books and hunted down the name of an author I could not understand. "So what. Do you want to learn how to properly arrange the books or not?" he called out as he turned to another row of shelves. Sighing, I followed him.

"Seriously. Why are you working here. Scratch that. Why are you working in general? Your parents are filthy rich aren't they?" His dad was a big- shot chef and his mom was probably one of the most famous lawyers in town and in the state.

He shrugged. "Extra cash, freedom, a good book to read here and there. It's a good deal." I burst out laughing and he finally turned towards me and raised an eyebrow. "Did that somehow amuse you?"

I bit back another laugh and shrugged. "I don't know. I just never got you as the reading type."

He continued down the shelf. "Then what type do you take me as?"

I ran a hand through my hair lost in thought. "I don't know. A car guy or something manly like that."

Now it was his turn to laugh. "And reading isn't manly?"

"No… Well, yeah… Ugh. You know what I mean."

He chuckled as he put a stack of Jane Eyre books onto a pile of On SALE paperbacks. "Awwww. I love this book," I smiled as I took the poorly binded novel into my hands.

He raised an eyebrow. "Weird. I didn't take you as the reading type either."

"Well, I'm not. Well, not really. I just love the story line and character of Jane Eyre; completely independent, strong, loyal, and even hard- headed at times." I grinned, putting the book back in its place.

"Hm," he grinned, turning back to a shelf of books.

"What?" I asked curiously.

"Nothing," he shook his head. "It just sounded a little too familiar."

Too confused to figure out what he said, I slipped into the space between the shelf and him so I could face him. "Well, just curious, but what type did you take ME as?"

"Something extremely superficial like make- up and magazines… No offense."

"Ouch," I pretended to be genuinely hurt. "You aren't as good a judge of character as I thought, because that is not me at all."

"Then what kind of girl are you," he leaned forward closer, almost challenging.

I looked down embarrassed as I noticed how close I was, or how his arms were leaning on the book shelf on each side of me as if I were trapped. "I'm not sure yet."

Nick seemed surprised by this answer as he stepped back letting me awkwardly slip out from between his arms. "Here, let me show you the bar code numbers so you can start sorting. It's actually not that hard." He motioned towards the shelves and taught me the patterns and numbers and how the books all needed to be lined up or Mr. Opal would scream at us for hours. Usually, he hasn't been able to because of his gain weight which causes him to lose breath every few minutes if he does too much. By the end of the lesson, both of us were already falling from laughter. The chime of bells indicating that someone had just walked in caught both our attentions, and Nick excused himself to go to the register just in case they decided to buy something. I picked up another handful of books and tried remembering the coding pattern Nick had taught me. I was walking past a row of old newspapers when I saw a familiar face from school.

"Patrick?" I asked, walking cautiously towards the hooded figure. He was wearing all sweats and his hair was matted down with moist .I couldn't tell if he had just walked in the rain or just walked out of the shower.

"Hey," he murmured nodding towards me. I held my breath wondering what he was doing here. I hadn't seen him since the shooting at school. I wasn't even sure if he was ever coming back. He just kind of disappeared. Instead of saying a 'what's up' or a 'how are you', he looked up at me and his lagoon blue eyes pierced through mine. "Remember your promise, Miley. Keep yours and I'll keep mine."

I shuffled my feet awkwardly, pushing all thoughts out of my mind. I couldn't handle this right now. "I didn't do anything, Patrick. You know that."

He walked closer… Too close. I could smell that scent of alcohol on him, and I could see dark rings enveloped beneath his eyes. He almost looked dead. "No. Miley, I don't. I know what happened. You know what happened, but I think you're just too scared to accept it."

I shook my head and turned to walk away. I wasn't going to talk about this with him. He left when I needed him. He left me there alone to take the blame. He was a few inches shorter than me, probably because he was also 2 years younger than me, but he was strong. His hands gripped my wrists and pulled me towards him, so close that I could see the tint in his eyes. "If you ever fucking tell, Stewart. I'm going to-"

Not being able to move out of his grasp, I spit in his face. "Get the hell away from me, Patrick. GET AWAY FROM ME," I started screaming.

"Fuck you," he took one hand and swiped at his face, and only tightening his hold on my wrists. "Admit it, Miley. You fucking kil-"

Nick's worried voice echoing a few rows down caught both our attentions. Suddenly, his eyes filled with fear as he let go of my wrists and took a step back. Before Nick got there, he disappeared and raced out the door, leaving me near tears and collapsed on the floor.

"Holy crap, Miles. What's wrong?" Nick ran towards me as he saw me on the ground. I tried to sit up and calm myself down as well as calm him down. His eyes were scanning me looking for any bruises or cuts, and still unsure when he found none. "Why were you screaming?"

I bit my lip and shook my head. "Sorry. I um, saw a spider, and I fainted. I'm kind of deathly afraid of them… yeah," I lied, dusting myself off as I tried to get up. Nick looked at me as if I were crazy and kept a steady hand on my arm as if not sure if I was stable yet.

"Are you sure that's what happened?" he asked. I knew he didn't believe my answer, but right now, I couldn't tell him. Even I didn't know what was going on. "Miley," he broke my thoughts. "Is there anythi…. Um. Have you finished sorting the books?" Nick changed the subject, which I mentally thanked him for. He ran a hand through his curls as if not sure what to do.

"Yeah. Most of it. I'm fine," I reassured him. "Go back to work. I can take care of myself."

"Okay," he nodded still a little unsure. "But meet up with me outside when your shift is done. I think I end just a few minutes before you. I want to treat you out to dinner."

"Like on a date?" I asked confused even though I couldn't help but wonder if he could hear the pounding in my chest.

He smiled shyly and stuffed his hands in his jean pockets, something that looked way too familiar. "Only if you want to think of it that way."

"But isn't it like… weird? You're Li- … his best friend and all. What would people think if-"

"Who cares what people think?" he asked so honestly that I almost doubted myself. What did I care about what people think?

I strained a smile despite what had just happened with Patrick. I wonder if Nick even remembered Patrick. He wasn't very 'popular' if that's what you would call it. No one really noticed him, except me… or technically he noticed me first. "You're shaking," Nick moved closer and placed a steady hand on my shoulder. I hadn't even noticed.

"Sorry. It's kind of cold in here," I lied again. "So, are you going to teach me more of your character skills?" I laughed trying to ease the mood.

"Nah. I'll hold back on that. You just looked like you needed some food. You're kinda pale. Must have been a pretty big spider."

"You have no idea," I looked down letting an awkward silence slip in again.

"Well, I'll go turn down the air conditioning. I'll see you later then?"

"Yeah," I nodded trying to plaster on my best reassuring smile. Obviously, it still wasn't enough, but Nick still turned around to go, knowing that I wanted time to myself. I looked out the only window in the whole store and watched as the rain drops pounded onto the glass, but never seemed to make a noise. I stared at the purple welts sprouting around my wrists and tried to push away the picture of Patrick standing in front of me. Suddenly, the single light bulb above me flickered out, leaving me in the dark with just the small light escaping from the mist covered window.

On the frost, was a subtle, almost unnoticeable formation of words that I wouldn't have caught if it hadn't been so dark.

Because on the window, traced from the fog, spelled out the words: _our little secret_

_

* * *

_

_**December 10, 2008 11:11 P.M.**_

"Liam. I cannot believe you took me to watch that," I laughed as I grasped onto my soda and with the other hand, Liam's own sweaty palm. I was relieved to know that he was as nervous as I was.

"Hey. You said you wanted to watch something interesting."

"I didn't mean scare me out of my seat. Zombies are not my thing, buddy," I poked his chest teasingly before he wrapped me in his arms. It was amazing how comfortable we felt with each other. This was our third date this week, and we were already acting like some couples that have been dating for years.

"Sorry, babe. It was pretty funny. You held in pretty well though,"he laughed, keeping a protective hand around my shoulder. I smiled and pulled his varsity football jacket around me tighter. I wasn't cold; I just liked having it near me. "Hey. Do you mind if I go meet up with a friend for a second. I left something at his place a few nights ago and I need it for tomorrow. You mind?"

I shook my head and shrugged. My parents weren't expecting me for another half hour anyway. We walked down a few blocks and stopped near a convenience store. "Be right back, babe," he smiled before leaning down to kiss me. Gosh. I never did get tired of that.

I pouted as he pulled away, and he laughed amused. "Trust me. I'll be right back."

I turned back onto the street, and noticed that we had strolled into the alley. Scenes and flashes of the movie filled my mind and suddenly I couldn't breathe. The night air was silent and the only source of light for blocks was the moon. Every now and then there would be a slight rustle of a trash can or a door closing, but other than that, the only thing I could hear was my own heavy breathing. I tapped my foot impatiently and wondered why Liam was taking so long.

Suddenly, a loud snap broke through the air, and heavy footsteps seemed to grow louder and louder behind me. A scream seemed to echo through my ears a few moments later, but I couldn't tell if they were mine or someone else's. I couldn't help but run and run and run wherever my legs could take me. It was so dark that I tripped a couple times, and I looked down to see bright blood smeared all over my hands. Panicking, I sprinted down the alley and turned the corner only to smash into something solid and screamed.

"Woah. Babe! Babe! It's me!" Liam wrapped his arms around me instantly. I was still shaking as I entered them, shaking and crying.

"I … was… soo… scared," I mumbled out between sobs. "I'm… bleeding, Liam. I'm… there… there was blood on the ground, or maybe it was my blood. Oh my god," I broke into sobs again. Liam pulled me to him and examined my hands which were still smeared with red. "Oh my god, oh my god," I stared at the smeared crimson which covered my hands.

"Shhhh, babe. It's fine." He took a tissue out of his pocket and rubbed them on my hands. "It's fine, Miles. It's just ketchup. You probably tripped on a trashcan and some of it spilled on your hands."

"I swear I- … Are you sure?" I asked still breathless. I stared at my hands and watched as Liam wiped off the last remains of red on my hands. In the brighter light of the street lamp, I could clearly see that the red was too light to be blood. I blushed embarrassed.

Liam wrapped me in his arms. "You're shaking, babe. Are you cold?"

"No," I murmured into his chest as I listened to his steady heart beat. "I'm still kinda freaked out. That's all."

I felt his hand reach up to stroke my hair as he tried his best to comfort me. "It's fine, Miles. I'm here. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you."

And in that moment, in his arms, I believed him.

* * *

_**March 30th, 2010 9: 35**_ **_{Present- Day}_**

"You ready?" Nick jumped from behind me. I half- screamed as I tried to calm my racing heart.

"Holy crap, Nick. You scared me," I exclaimed placing a hand over my chest. I noticed that he had changed out of the apron and leather jacket and was now only left in his white v-neck and a pair of loose casual jeans. It actually matched him. His curls were perfectly in touch even though he probably didn't take time to brush it this morning. But I guess he was just one of those people that didn't have to try very hard for looks.

"So, what are you up for?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked as I spun my car keys around my finger.

"Dinner? Food? C'mon. It's a one time deal," he smirked. I mentally slapped myself for forgetting about our yes/no date. I wasn't sure if it meant anything. I definitely wasn't in love with Nick. That was for sure. My heart wasn't ready for anything like that… But with him, I actually felt something. I don't know if it was completely a good thing, but it was enough to keep me wanting to feel more.

"Hm… You had me at food," I grinned as we walked towards the food court. He ended up ordering a burger with fries, and I settled for pasta. As I turned to get us a table, Nick pulled me away.

"Nah. I have some place to show you. Bring your tray."

I raised an unsure eyebrow. "Are we allowed to?"

He laughed quietly. "You look like you're about to rob a house. C'mon. It's fine." I pushed away the 'rob' joke that caused a flood of memories to invade my mind… The first time I met Liam… but I didn't want to think about it now. Instead, I took Nick's hand and followed him across the mall until we reached a room in the back of an employee only hall. He pushed open a paint- chipped wall to reveal a dark room.

"We're eating here?" I asked confused. Nick stopped me and walked across the room, so far that he disappeared into the blackness. "Nick?" I asked, starting to get worried after a few minutes passed by. "Nick?" I called out again, but still no answer.

I walked a little farther into the darkness and held my hands out just to make sure I didn't bump into anything in front of me. The only sound in the room was my breathing and the shuffle of my feet slowly moving across the wood tiled floor. Suddenly, a noise erupted from the opposite side of the room, and curiously, I made my way towards that direction. Through the darkness, I swear I saw a shape moving. "Nick! What the hell do you think you're doing leaving me in the dark!"I laughed as I tried to make my way towards him. He turned around sharply as if surprised. I grabbed for his arm, to gain support through the dark, but suddenly lights flooded my eyes.

"Miley! What are you doing all the way over there?" Nick called out. I turned around shocked to see him all the way across the room. If he was over there, then who was standing in front of me? I turned around quickly only to find myself facing the wall. I swear there was someone here.

"Hey," he called out setting down his tray on a table before reaching towards me. He laid a comforting hand on my arm. "You okay? You look kind of spooked."

"I swear I saw something… someone over here," I looked around again, but no one was at sight except us. Nick had dropped his tray of food at a table across the room where the light switch was. At the far corner, there was a set of video games laid out and an Xbox 360 laid out next to it. There was a pretty average sized TV placed on a wood carton used as a table, and a large futon couch was seated in front of it.

"What is this place?" I asked, completely forgetting about the shape I saw. Because that was all it was, I reassured myself. A shape. Just a shape.

"An old warehouse," Nick answered.

"On the 5th floor of the mall?"

"Hm," he grinned. "Probably why they don't use it anymore." I laughed casually and suddenly felt comfortable. I have no idea why it was so easy with him. It was like I wasn't anyone to him but Miley. Not the girl who people thought killed his best friend or even just the girl who spent all her lunch periods lurking around school with her canvas and art set.

"You haven't seen the best part," Nick smiled as he turned me around to reveal the clear glass window that looked up on the town. City lights twinkled like stars beneath us, and I couldn't help but laugh as I was able to find my house.

"Is it too cliché for me to say that I can see my house from here?" I laughed, walking up to the glass window and placing a hand on it. Nick stood next to me, and looked out.

"Nah. Just the right amount."

"That was cheesier than what I said."

"Damn," Nick cursed sarcastically, and I punched his shoulder laughing. "Hey. At least you're in a better mood. You actually look… normal now," he joked causing me to punch his again.

"And I used to think you were sweet," I shook my head. He peered at me through a few fallen curls on his forehead.

"You thought I was sweet?"

I blushed wondering why I had let myself say that. "Um, should we eat now?"

Nick's smile wavered, but he still kept an amused look. "Yeah. Sure."

For the next hour or so, we sat down on the futon couch and ate our dinner while he surfed the channels for something decent. The cable connection wasn't very good here.

"I lied," Nick finally sighed as a re- run of an old 70's show episode came on.

I turned towards him confused. "What?"

"I lied about this place."

"What are you talking about?"

"This place wasn't only mine. It was Liam's."

I stayed silent, not really knowing what to say. Well, what was I supposed to say? Something along the lines of, oh. How awkward? Too scared to say anything, I just kept my mouth shut. Nick didn't seem to want to do the same.

"This was basically our hang out after work. We'd just stay here and play video games until we got too exhausted to keep our eyes open or we started getting harassing phone calls from our parents," he chuckled. I couldn't help but notice the building smile on his face. To him, talking about Liam was a comfort, almost somehow uplifiting, but to me, it was like unlocking a closet of childhood monsters; something everyone just wants to push into the darkness of the past. "We've had so many good times in this room. And I remember the last few months, he'd spend less time here, and eventually he'd stop coming at all."

"Why? Did you guys have a fight?"

Nick shook his head amused. "Nah. We never get into fights. He was just… preoccupied I guess you can say. He had some really special things going on in his life."

I looked up to meet Nick's eyes. "Like what?"

"Like you."

"Oh. Sorry?"

Nick laughed again and took a french fry off his plate. "No. You were good for him. You made him happy. I just wished he would shut up about your… moments sometimes," he laughed shyly remembering. "Not that it's a bad thing. From what he described you as, I knew I'd like you if I ever got to really know you."

"And?" I asked curiously. "What about now? Now that you know me."

He toyed with the straw of his drink and smirked. "Technically, I don't really know you."

"We've been talking 24/7 for the last few weeks," I reminded him, hoping he'd forget about the last few days when we were ignoring each other.

"That doesn't mean I really know you. It just means we talk."

"You're really confusing me, Nick."

He laughed and ran a hand through his curls. "What's your favorite color?"

"Black."

"Favorite movie?"

"The Notebook."

"Favorite singer?"

"Um… John Lennon."

"Favorite animal?"

"Dogs."

"Me too," Nick smiled. I grinned back at him already into the conversation. I could tell what Liam saw in Nick. He was just a good person overall. He was easy to talk to and always kept you guessing.

"So what now? Do you know me yet?"

He tapped the arm of the couch. "Not yet," he answered as if lost in thought.

"Okay then. A few more questions. Shoot."

"Type of pasta?"

"Angel hair."

"Type of books."

"Mystery."

"Type of guy?"

I paused thinking about the question. It took me a few minutes to answer. "I guess someone into art like me or at least takes an interest in what I do. Someone who isn't afraid to be different. Someone who will treat me like I'm a lady but look at me like … like I'm just me."

"I'm guessing you just described Liam?"

I blushed and shook my head. "Actually no. He really didn't fit any of those."

"Then why did you fall for the guy if he wasn't even your type?"

I shrugged and let the question pass through my head. Why did I fall for Liam? I mean, he was good- looking, of course. But I never cared about how good someone looked. "I don't know," I finally answered. "I guess he was just different… Special."

Nick nodded slowly. "Okay. Ask me something."

"Favorite class?"

"English."

"How many books per week do you read?"

"Around 3 or 4."

"Do you miss Liam?"

That seemed to stop him. He opened his mouth to answer, but then he closed it again. "Yeah. I miss him. He was my best friend."

I looked down and looked at my hands, trying to remember when they had gotten so pale and frail. "Wanna know something else about me," I whispered. Nick looked up, locking his hazel eyes with mine. "I miss him too."

And as if not being able to hold it back anymore, I cried. It wasn't a heavy crying, but rather it was soft and slow as if it were healing itself instead of breaking into pieces. Nick moved closer until he could wrap his arms around me and I could bury my head in his shoulder. He sat there silently and he just held me.

But somehow, that was all I really needed.


	6. Chapter 5: The Truths About Stalkers

_**April 6**__**th**__**, 2010 8: 28 A.M. {Present- Day}**_

For the next few days, things began happening in the usual patterns. Demi ignoring me. Selena still ignoring me. Joe acting like I don't exist. Going to work. Having dinner with Nick. Going to sleep. Then starting it all over again. I guess you could say that my only friend right now was Nick. We still hadn't talked about that one night when I broke into tears. I don't think any of us knew exactly what happened. One moment, I was crying, and the next, I was in his arms as he stroked my hair. It all seemed so familiar to me that I ended up crying again, but this time, it wasn't really for Liam; it was more for Nick.

I walked into first period late like usual and walked towards my usual seat. I could feel Selena purposely trying not to look at me. I hadn't made an attempt to talk to her since a few weeks ago, knowing that forcing her wasn't going to be a good thing. I just had to wait until she was ready; or even if she would ever be ready.

As I took my seat, I was surprised to find that for the first time in weeks, there were no whispers or stares as I walked across the room. No death threats or accusations. I was just me, struggling to hold my bag with one arm and my paint set in the other. As I got to my seat, I tripped over Selena's own bag causing me to drop a few art utensils on the floor.

"Oh my god," Selena gasped. "I'm so sorry." She bent down quickly and helped pick up any of the fallen material. I was actually surprised at her reaction; or maybe she just didn't know what she was doing.

"It's fine. It's my fault. I should have looked where I was going," I assured her as I picked up a few scattered paintbrushes.

"Wow. You much can you keep in one set?" Selena eyed all the material scattered on the floor. She tucked a loose wave of chestnut hair behind her ear and picked up one of the last brushes. "You bring way too much to school."

Laughing, I shrugged. "I guess, but I always feel like I'm going to need all of this. You know how I am."

Selena's eyes wavered for a second as she finally realized who she was talking and the circumstances surrounding it. She bit her lip as if not sure what to do, but Mrs. Landon's voice broke through. "Girls. I know you're enjoying your chat back there, but we do have a class going on," she exclaimed causing an outburst of laughter from the class. I blushed embarrassed as I took a seat at my desk. Selena was trying her best not to break into laughter next to me. I looked at her and she looked at me as if there was nothing between us but clean and open air. It was like none of this ever happened and we were just two completely different people who came together to make a friendship. Class was going on smoothly until another late student walked in.

This time, not as silently as I did.

Gasps and whispers erupted into the air the moment Patrick Nelson walked into the room. But their gasps and whispers weren't because of what happened that day. This time, those gasps and whispers were more of a curiosity on why he left the school or maybe even the slight transformation from the once geeky and awkward Patrick that everyone had grown used to. I sat there in shock trying not to remember that the last time I had seen him, he was pressing me back into a bookcase looking as if he wanted to kill me.

He looked different today. I guess you would say cleaner. He had on a rock t- shirt with straight- cut jeans. His hair was actually combed and he was wearing a pair of black framed reading glasses that actually fit him well.

"Class. I would like you to meet a freshman coming to join our class. He is especially gifted and I hope you accept him like any of your other classmates," Mrs. Landon explained, keeping a hand on his shoulder. I would have expected him to flinch; he hated people touching him unless he allowed it or did it first. But he didn't even move. In fact, he stood there in the front of the class smiling like it was the best damn day of his life.

His eyes wandered across the room and stopped when he met mine. At first, his eyes seem to lose a bit of it's glow, but soon enough the corners of his mouth tugged upwards. I flinched just seeing him across the room and brought my gaze to my knotted hands resting on my lap. Mrs. Landon sent him to a seat, and in this case, the only seat left was the one behind mine.

He walked slowly, almost teasingly as he passed my seat. As he finally sat down, Selena turned around and smiled softly. "Hi, Patrick. How are you?" They were never really close friends, but Selena always wanted to be polite.

"I'm pretty good," Patrick sighed. "How about you. It must be hard. Liam being dead and all," he said completely unsympathetic as his gaze flickered to me. Selena brought her gaze down and turned back around to face the board as if she were actually paying attention. But I knew better.

"Hey, Sel. Are you ok-"

"Miley," Patrick grinned almost sarcastically. "Long time no see. How are you?"

I laughed grimly. "Actually, I'm feeling perfect. What about you, asshole?"

I could feel Selena shuffle in her seat uncomfortably, but I didn't care. I was pissed at this guy. What does he think? That he can just go back to school and suddenly he can boss people around as if he owned the fucking school?

Patrick's eyes seemed to flicker with shock for a second, but he soon layered it over with a huge thick fake smile. I turned around disgusted and continued staring at the board trying my best not to think about Patrick sitting right behind me.

But no matter how hard I tried, I could still feel the strength of his stare piercing into the back of my skull.

The minute the bell rang, I was one of the first to jump up and run through the door. I couldn't last another minute in the same room as him. I couldn't believe why he came back to school. I knew his last year in this school was complete hell for him, yet he came back. He was trying to torture me or maybe he was trying to make sure I wouldn't tell anyone.

I wish I could tell someone, but if I told someone what happened, then I give myself away too…

I walked down the hall for my second period, but I realized that it would have been much easier if I had just dropped my art supplies first. I made a few turns here and there until I finally reached the art room. It was a pretty plain and simple room. The school board, being the retards they are, focused all the money on automatic sliding doors for half of the classrooms that don't need them. What was so freaking difficult to grab onto a door handle and pull?

Shaking my head, I stepped through the double doors as they slid open and came to my art drawer where all my other utensils were. I took a few more out of my backpack when the lights went out. And by out, I mean completely out. There wasn't even much light coming in front the windows because they had all been closed shut with the blinds, and it was too dark for me to even attempt to go that far across the room without knowing where I was going.

"Retards can't even pay for electricity," I mumbled to myself as I closed the drawer shut and cautiously walked across the room. I stopped in front of the double doors, but they wouldn't slide open.

Oh yeah, I thought to myself. No electricity, no doors.

"Teachers, students, staff," our Principal's voice filled the room from the speakers. He must have been using the generator. "Do not worry. There was just a shortage in wiring downstairs. Keep inside of your classrooms and stay calm. The lights will be on in just a few minutes." There was an ear- piercing static noise that erupted as he turned his mic off, causing me to clap both hands on my ear. Suddenly, another noise behind me caught my attention. It was too dark to see anything, but I could see movement behind the ceramics counter where all the bowls were held.

"Mr. Stokes?" I called our art teacher out loud. I walked towards the counter cautiously, making sure I wouldn't trip over anything else. I stopped in front of the counter, running my hands over it just to make sure I wouldn't bump into anything. My hands landed on something plastic. I picked it up slowly and squinted through the dark to try to see what I was holding in my hands. Even through the almost pitch black darkness, I could tell they were glasses. Reading glasses with thick black frames.

"Crap," I whispered as I threw myself against the wall. He was here. Patrick was here. And I was left with him. Alone. In the dark. With no one to hear us. I stood there shaking, trying my best not to scream just in case he wouldn't be able to find me. I bit down on my tongue until I started feeling fresh blood in my mouth.

Suddenly, a crash erupted from the supply room and something inside of me snapped. I scrambled to the double doors and pounded my fists into them. "HELP ME!" I cried out, feeling tears slide down my cheeks. I knew what Patrick was capable of, but I just wasn't ready to face it yet. "Please," I screamed out as I pounded my fists on the strong glass doors until my fists began to bleed. Suddenly, I heard a noise coming right behind me. I turned around, but it was too dark to see anything. I knew that I should have just kept my mouth shut and hid, but I was desperate. "HELP ME!" I screamed, slapping and kicking the glass doors. Not being able to take it anymore, I grabbed a ceramics statue on the first table behind me and slammed it across the door. Glass scattered across the floor making a hole not exactly big enough for me to get through. But I didn't have enough time as I heard closer noises shuffling behind me.

I squeezed my body through the sheared glass, cutting myself along the way, but I was too scared to even feel the pain. I could feel moist blood stains all over my shirt and running down my arms and legs, but I was too scared to stop. Suddenly, the lights flashed back on and I could hear loud noises coming from the classrooms, but I still couldn't stop. I ran and ran and ran until I was almost out of school. I would have made it if I didn't slam into Selena on the way there.

"Holy crap," Selena gasped as she fell backwards. Luckily, she landed and was able to gain balance from her arms. She seemed shocked and dazed as if not really knowing what was going on. Then her eyes trailed towards me. "Miley. Oh my god. What's wrong? Why are you covered in blood?" She shuffled towards me and held my arm for support. I bit my lip not knowing what to tell her.

She was my best friend. She still is my best friend. If there was one person I could tell, it had to be her, right? "Selena. If I tell you something, you have to promise to keep it between us unless I tell you tell someone. And only when I tell you. Promise?" I asked frantically, constantly looking behind my shoulder to see if someone was behind me.

Selena seemed unsure of what to do or even if she wanted to know, but she nodded her head anyway. "That day…," I started. I didn't have to mention the exact day or what happened. Selena understood. "I wasn't the only one left in school after everyone was evacuated. Patrick was here. Something happened that I can't tell you, and now he's been stalking me. He was in the art room with me when I went to drop my stuff. I heard him," I started to go into a whisper. "Selena... I'm scared. He wants to hurt me."

She stared at me for a few seconds as if I were crazy. "Miley…"

"Selena. I know it sounds crazy but he was in the art room. I swear. He's been following me around the last few days."

"Miley," Selena moved closer as if trying to calm me down. "That's impossible."

I stared at her baffled. "What do you mean? I just told you everything. Why would I lie to you?"

"Because I was just talking to Patrick, Miles. He's not in the art room. He was in the library doing some catching up before a history test."

I stared at her in disbelief. "That's … that can't be right. I saw him, Selena. Well, I didn't see see him, but-"

"Miley, I think you're just really stressed and-"

The footsteps of crowds of students began echoing behind us. They were already off to their next class while I was standing in the middle of the hallway bleeding, crying, and covered in cuts. Frantic, I turned towards Selena once more.

"Sel. You have to believe me."

And with that, I ran through the double doors asking myself if I even believed myself anymore.

* * *

**_April 8th, 2009 6: 05 P.M._**

_I hugged my thin cardigan closer to my body as I took a seat on the school bleachers. Selena was stuck at practice for an extra hour today, and being that Liam had gone across the state to play a football game and my parents were visiting my grandma, Selena was my only ride. I watched chuckling as Selena rammed into a girl who was probably 3 times her size, yet the other girl still felt face first into the mud. _

"_Ouch," I laughed as I clapped. Selena took off her mouth piece to look at m and I could see her triumphant smile. _

"_That's enough for now, Perry. Go take a break," Coach Tamon called out. As if she hadn't been running around for the last few hours, she skipped back to the bench to take a seat. I took a few steps down the bleachers so we were next to each other._

"_Hey, Sel. How much longer is this going to take?"_

_She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe another hour. What did you think of that tackle? That girl does not know who she's messing with," Selena grinned devily. I laughed and rolled my eyes._

"_Just try not to kill someone on there, Sel. Prom is in a few days and I do not want you sitting in a cell while I go party the whole night," I teased. _

"_Party all night?" She wiggled an eyebrow. "Then when are you and my bro planning on using that hotel room you guys rented for prom night?"_

_I gasped and blushed. "What are you talking about? He rented a hotel room?"_

_Selena laughed and elbowed me. "Miley. I was kidding. Don't even get those kind of thoughts in my head," she shook her head. I blushed embarrassed and tried to take the picture out of my head too. I mean, Liam and I were serious, but just not THAT serious. _

"_God, Mi. Snap out of it. You've got that out of it look again. You know I hate it when you do that," Selena explained. I blinked and apologized._

"_I just miss Liam, I guess."_

_Selena smiled. "Yeah. I miss him too, but the season is over in a few weeks. Then he's back and I… actually you can have him all for yourself."_

_I leaned back on my arms and looked up at the graying sky. It was about to rain. "Is it still weird for you?"_

"_What is?"_

_I shrugged. "The fact that I'm dating your older brother. I mean, we're best friends and all."_

_Selena smirked amused. "Nah. I got over that a while ago. Plus, you're the first actual serious relationship he's had. And I rather it be you than some other random slut."_

"_Thanks?" I laughed._

"_No prob, Mi. What are friends for," she replied back mirroring my laughter. Ever since Liam and I got together, we never really had a chance to hang out as much. I mean, we were always together because I was always at their house to see Liam, but it was never just us. It was always the three of us: Liam, Me, and Selena. And I'm pretty sure being the third wheel while your best friend and big brother flirt half the time isn't very ideal fun. _

_After practice, I slung my bag on one shoulder and tried my best to keep up with Selena. This is what happens when you befriend the girl with one of the longest legs in history. I turned around to a loud noise behind me. A bunch of high school kids, most whom I recognized as Liam's friends were putting some freshman in the dumpster. I only saw a set of jet black hair before it disappeared into the trash. I felt a hint of guilt for not trying to help, but what could I do. It was basically part of the high school tradition. The only thing to do was try not to be the victim. _

"_Miley! Are you coming or not?" Selena cried out as she put her books on top of her head. I flinched as I felt a raindrop fall on my nose. _

"_Yeah, yeah. I'm coming," I answered back as I ran towards her. My mom would be pissed if I ruined this shirt. I caught up to Selena and slid into the leather seats of her brand new BMW. "No way. You got your license already?"_

_Selena laughed. "No. Still a permit, but who cares. I'm not waiting for my mom to pick us up in this rain."_

_I punched her shoulder teasingly. "Hm. Selena Perry breaking the rules. How out of character."_

"_Hey," she raised an eyebrow at me. "You don't know everything about me." _

_I settled back into my seat wondering how much of her exactly that I didn't know. To me, it felt like I knew everything. I knew every crush she had since kindergarten, how she liked her coffee, when she lost her first tooth, and even what actually happened that day behind the handball court back in 6__th__ grade with Tommy Lyons. _

_As we backed away from the driveway, we passed by the group of guys who I had seen earlier by the dumpster walking our way and waving. Selena stopped the car and waved back._

_ "Hey, guys. What are you still doing here?" she asked completely oblivious of what they were up to. Knowing her personality and the way she would have reacted, they came up with a few lies and were soon making their way back home. I could hear their laughter and hooting echoing in the car even after Selena rolled the window back up. "Those guys are absolutely crazy," she laughed. _

_ I laughed back, but I couldn't help but let my eyes wander to the dumpster where I knew the unlucky victim was sitting and waiting. Probably waiting to make sure the guys were gone before she or he could make their escape. _

_ Suddenly, I saw a streak of black hair protrude from the hood of the dumpster cautiously. I turned around in my seat curiously, but Selena had already driven too far into the road for me to see who it was._

_

* * *

_

**_ April 6__th_**_**, 2010 8: 20 P.M**.** {Present- Day} **_

"Miles… miley?" Nick called out waving a hand in front of my face. I blinked away what I was thinking about and looked back into his soft brown eyes.

"Hey," I answered trying to concentrate on rearranging the books again, but Nick stopped me.

"You looked kinda out of it," he answered causing me to flinch remembering Selena's own words. "You okay? Anything to talk about?"

I shook my head knowing I couldn't tell him, and I wouldn't even know where to start. The things that happened with Selena and the talk about Patrick in the hall was still confusing me. If Patrick was in the library, then who was in the art room? Was there even anyone in the art room?

"No. I guess I'm just kind of stressed from being back in school and everything," I half- lied. I was stressed out about school, but probably not the way he thought I was.

"Oh. Well if you-" Nick started, but Mr. Opal's red face popped out from a row of shelves.

"Get back to work, you two. I don't allow any flirting while on duty," he puffed from his cigar. I blushed slightly, and turned towards Nick who didn't look affected at all by his comment. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe he wasn't developing the same feelings for me as I was for him. But then again, what did I feel about him? I mean, I guess you can say we went out on a date, but it technically was just two people who knew each other having dinner. Nothing special. Especially since we've never done anything more than hug, which only happened once. I was starting to think that the attractive was a one- way thing. He hadn't shown signs that he was interested or anything crossing the lines between 'just friends'. We'd been playing the question game for the last few days now, but he still swears that he doesn't know me even though I'm pretty sure I've told him about everything.

Well, not everything.

Seeing that he would make no comment or even send me a look, I shrugged it off and went back to work. I was actually kind of relieved though. I wasn't ready to talk to Nick yet. I didn't even know what to say.

After a few hours of work, I came up to Nick in the nonfiction shelves and stopped him. "Do you remember a Patrick Nelson? Two years younger than us? Dorky? Short?" I asked playing with the straps of my apron anxiously.

Although he seemed distracted, he mumbled a simple, "Not really. Why?"

"Oh. No reason. He's just back at school and I couldn't remember him either," I lied again. I was on a roll with this. Luckily, I was good at lying as I was painting. Nick shrugged it off and walked around the corner to help approach a customer and bother him with questions like, What are you looking for today? Need any help? Nice shirt. Are you looking for anything in particular? Which half the customers just shake their heads or walk away ignoring us like we had never asked anything.

A few seconds after he turned the corner, he popped out again. "Oh wait. Is the Patrick you're talking about that kid who's always working in the AV room? The camera kid, right?" I sighed not knowing whether Nick remembering him was a good or bad thing.

I nodded. "Yeah. I think so."

"I remember him. But I've only seen him once or twice in school like a few months ago. Does he still go to our high school?"

I pretended to be looking for something on a shelf, trying my best not to make it seem like more. "Um… Actually yeah. He just came back to school. He was injured at the shooting," I replied.

"Ouch. Tell him, I hope he's doing okay," and with that Nick disappeared around the corner to pester another customer, not that we had very many.

I took a sigh and decided not to answer. I rather not have to talk to him again. The thing with the art room still kind of spooked me out. Why were his glasses in the art room? Were they even his glasses? So many questions were spinning inside of my head, and I just didn't know where to store them. I was busy putting away books when I heard a shuffle from the row behind me. I turned around and watched as a book fell on the floor; its loose pages scattering all across the floor. Heavy footsteps soon hurried after and I felt my breathe catch in my throat. I couldn't believe that Patrick followed me to work again. I took the closest book I could find and held it in front of me as protection. I turned the corner cautiously and came face to face with…

Nick… and a customer.

"Crap!" I screamed trying to catch my breath. The customer stared at me like I was the craziest thing she had seen in years. Even Nick seemed to give a questioning look. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. I should have felt comfort or even safety, but instead I cringed away embarrassed. Maybe I was being too paranoid. Maybe I was letting Patrick and the shooting get too deep into my head. Maybe I was making this bigger than it was.

"Yeah," I shook my head, clearing my thoughts away. "Sorry. I should really start looking where I'm going. Sorry," I motioned towards the customer who was still staring at me wide- eyed. Flushed and completely humiliated, I took my work apron off, grabbed my jacket, and took off; not really knowing where to go.


	7. Chapter 6: The Truths About Attraction

_**April 10th, 2010 8:15 A.M.**__** {Present- Day}**_

"Okay class," Mrs. Landon exclaimed as she entered the room. I was too busy picking at my nail polish to notice her entrance. By the time I finally looked up, I noticed that Selena was missing in the seat next to me, and strangely so was Patrick. Which I was kind of relieved. "Projects. Pick you partners. Groups or 2 to 4. No more, no less. Five seconds. Go."

The room stood up in a hurricane, searching for partners and forming groups; each one secretly hoping they wouldn't be the one left out. I sat in my seat scanning the room for a partner, but by that time, it was already too late. Everyone was standing in their own corner giggling with their groups. Fine then, I thought to myself. Most of them probably didn't want the 'psycho killer' in their group anyway. I tapped my pen on my desk waiting for Mrs. Landon to approach me.

"Well, well. Ms. Stewart. It seems as if you don't have a group. I guess you can choose one of the existing ones already," she explained. She raised an eyebrow to the class. "Does anyone want Ms. Stewart in their group?"

The room stayed silent and not a single movement occurred. I slid down further into my seat embarrassed. This was not how I wanted to spend my Friday. I was too busy trying to pretend like I was more interested in my chipped nails when Selena and Patrick walked into the room laughing as if they had just heard the best damn joke in their life.

"Ah. Ms. Perry and Mr. Nelson. What perfect timing. Miley, Selena, and Patrick. You are officially a group. Now let's get class started." Everyone shuffled back to their seats and brought their attention back to Mrs. Landon who was already busy in a discussion about military tactics in the Civil War. I looked towards Selena who was too busy drumming her fingers on her lap to even notice me staring. I could tell she was a little unsure about the project because her fingers would occasionally run through her chestnut waves, something she only did when she was really nervous.

Then, I turned around and sneaked a look at Patrick's reaction, but when I turned around, he met my eyes. Like he had been staring and waiting for me to turn around the whole time. Instead of being outraged with having to work with me, he simply smirked as he caught my glance. He even looked amused. Maybe even a little excited. I snapped back around quickly and tried focusing on the board even though I was completely lost. How was I supposed to comprehend all this war stuff? I turned around again, but this time I was surprised to see that he wasn't staring at me.

But he was staring at Selena, who was also looking back at him and smiling. Like, they had an inside joke between them… Like they were actually friends.

But that was impossible. They were complete opposites, and Selena was usually a great judge of character. How could she befriend a guy like Patrick? Never… No… Nope. Not ever happening…

But then something caught my eye. Selena wrote something down on a piece of paper and threw it back at him. He laughed as he read it before throwing a note back at her. She giggled back and even had to cover her mouth to restrain herself from catching the teacher's attention. Since when did Selena giggle? And since when did she start passing notes during class? And since when did she find Patrick the funniest damn comedian in the world? I sneaked another look as Mrs. Landon wrote a few important dates on the board and watched as Selena passed a note that opened a few feet short of his desk. It was her number…. She never gave out her number to a guy unless she really liked him. And that was rare. Her family, friends, school, and most importantly lacrosse took up most of her time. She always said that her schedule didn't have time for guys, yet here she was flirting as if the stalker sitting behind her was Zac freaking Efron.

I held my hands into a tight fist trying to restrain myself from pulling Selena miles and miles away from Patrick, but I couldn't help but constantly sneak looks at their constant note passing and giggling. Suddenly, a note flew on my desk. I turned to my right, but Selena was too busy trying to write something down on her notebook.

Curiously, I opened the small parchment of paper to reveal a messy hand- writing.

_You should really start paying attention in class, Miley. Since you are very familiar in 'weaponry'. By the way, I'm going to enjoy this little project we're working on. It won't be the first time we worked together. Remember? – Patrick. _

I held the paper in my hands and noticed how much I was shaking. My heart was racing in my chest as I ripped the small piece of paper in my hands. I took the ripped up fragments and sneaked them in my jeans' pocket. Slowly, I turned around one last time.

Sitting right where he was supposed to, as if waiting for me, Patrick flashed a full toothed grin as he saw my distressed expression. He leaned back in his seat; amused…

Triumphant.

* * *

_**April 10th, 2010 3:56 P.M. **__** {Present- Day}**_

"You okay?" Nick asked as he fell side step to me. I stopped surprised. We might have talked a lot during lunch and at work, but he never approached me in school and in the public eye. I always thought he was embarrassed or was trying to keep a reputation up.

"Why are you talking to me?" I asked, continuing to walk down the hall. There were a few stares shot at our direction and soon whispers began. Only God knows what new rumors were about to surface. Maybe that's why we only talked in private.

He raised an eyebrow. "Did I do something wrong?"

I shook my head laughing as I eased up. "No, no. Nothing like that. It's just that we never actually talk in the halls. I was guessing you didn't really liked to show off that we were friends."

He smiled causing my heart to go crazy. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. This was just Nick. But even that didn't help. "Nah," he continued. "Every time I walked by, you always just seemed kind of distant. Like you wanted to be left alone."

I laughed and elbowed him. "You were probably right."

"See," he grinned. "I told you I'm the people expert." We ended up having an easy conversation about our classes and whatever else happened in the last few days that was worth talking about. Half the time, I was dazed off thinking about the note that Patrick had sent me in class or even the idea of having Selena, Patrick, and I all in a room together.

"Hey," Nick stopped me, putting his head on my arm. I blushed feeling his touch especially since I hadn't really let anyone touch me ever since the accident. "You're going away again."

I raised an eyebrow confused. "What?"

He smiled softly, but still kept a worried expression. "No. You're mind .It's wandering again. You're worrying about something."

I kept silent and crossed my arms. He continued. "What is it? What's been bothering you?" But I still kept silent as I stared at the floor as if he said nothing. I heard him take a deep sigh next to me. Next thing I knew, he had stopped me and pulled me into the next empty classroom we passed by. The room was empty as far as I could tell and I took a deep breath.

"Miley," Nick asked again. "You're always asking why even through all the questions you've answered for me, I still don't really know you. This is basically your answer. You never open up."

After a few beats of silence, I looked up. "It's way more complicated than that."

"Than what?"

I took a deep intake of breath. "Why I'm so worried. If I tell you why, I'm going to have to tell you everything."

"Then tell me everything."

I shook my head. "I can't. It's too much."

He moved closer until I could feel the warmth radiating from his body. "Then let's take it step by step. What's bothering you?"

I looked down. "A project for history."

"Why is that bothering you?"

"Because I'm working with Selena and Patrick."

"Patrick? As in the Patrick you were asking me about yesterday?"

I nodded, still not able to meet his eyes. I hugged my arms around myself tightly as if needing to comfort myself. Nick noticed instantly and stepped closer. "And why does Patrick bother you?"

Maybe it was from all the stress from the past few days, but I couldn't help but collapse. I hated Nick seeing me so weak, but I couldn't help it. Shaking, I fell into Nick's arms sobbing. There was just way too much going on for me to find peace in my mind. Instantly, I felt his arms come around me defensively and his hand came to stroke my hair. I rested my head on his chest trying my best to calm down, but images of Patrick and that day kept flashing into my head, blinding me. "I… i," I sobbed trying my best to get my words out. "I can't… I can't tell you," I whispered into his chest. Instead of getting angry or even frustrated, Nick just wrapped his hands tighter around me. "Shhh. It's fine. Step by step, right?"

I stayed silent as I tried to slow my breathing. I wasn't sure if Nick could feel my racing heartbeat through my shirt, but it felt like I was about to explode. Eventually, after what felt like eternity, my sobs grew softer, my breathing softened, and the shaking stopped. Suddenly, the last bell rang.

Awkwardly, I stepped back and looked at him trying to make the best smile I could at the moment. "I'm sorry," I whispered not knowing what else to say. "I'm probably a huge mess right now, and you really don't need all this."

Nick ran a hand through his curls as if not knowing what to say either. Well, that was a first. With that thought to myself, I let out a small giggle causing Nick to look at me and smile. "What?"

I shrugged wiping away left- over tears with the back of my hand. "Nothing. I'm just trying to remember all the funny stories Liam used to tell me about you too. I'm… I'm just really glad we became friends."

Nick's smile wavered and soon he was the one to look down. I couldn't tell what upset him more; the fact that I mentioned Liam or the fact that I mentioned we were just friends. I shook my head and chose the easier answer. "I miss Liam so so much," I whispered almost to myself.

"Yeah," he smiled. "Did he ever tell you that time we snuck into Mrs. Laurents pool while she was gone for the weekend and her dog ended up being the one who called the police on us?" He saw my confused stare and laughed. "Long story."

"And the time that he accidentally drove home with the wrong family while we were playing a football game off- state," he started laughing.

I grinned and sat on a desk. "I remember that. They ended up buying him lunch, right?"

Nick broke out into laughter, and just seeing him actually smile and laugh so much made me do the same. "You have the most perfect laugh you know that," I grinned watching him. He looked my way with a raised eyebrow.

"Laughs can be perfect?"

I grinned. "I guess so."

He stepped forward, so close that he leaned both arms on the sides of the desk I was sitting on. I felt my heartbeat increase again, but this time for a different reason; a better reason. "Then I guess yours is perfect too." He leaned forward even closer and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear so gently that it took every will in my body to not lean forward and kiss him.

Suddenly, a knock on the door caused us both to jump. Nick flung himself back trying to look as innocent as possible, and I would have giggled if I didn't see who was standing in front of the door. They had opened it and was now leaning against it casually with his arms crossed in front of him.

"Wow, Miley. You move on fast," Patrick grinned, running his hands through his hair. I instantly noticed that he wasn't wearing his glasses today. I turned to my right where Nick was standing, and I could see his fists tighten causing his knuckled to go white. "You're Nick I'm guessing,"Patrick nodded towards him. "Liam's best friend. I remember you. I see you have no problem taking your friend's place for him," he said eyeing the place where Nick was just hovering over me.

I jumped off the desk I was sitting on and walked towards Patrick. "Can we just go?" I whispered. I didn't want to get Nick any more involved than he already was.

Patrick smirked and I could tell my anger amused him. "No problem, Mi." He turned towards Nick who was still standing across the room frozen and waved. "I'll see you later, Hanson. And tell your brother to lay off the booze. That stuff can get really bad for you, if you didn't know," he grinned before pulling me out of the room. I cringed away from his touch and walked a few feet behind him, trying my best to keep a safe distance. Patrick noticed instantly and turned around. "What, Stewart? You scared of me?"

I fixed the strap of my backpack and ignored the question. "Can we just get this project over with. I have better things to do with my life."

Patrick looked back at the room where Nick and I were just in. "I can see that," he smirked. "But before we get out there, I suggest you wipe that blush off your face. Selena might think WE were up to something we weren't supposed to," he grinned slyly before squeezing through the double doors and walking outside. I watched from the clear glass door as he made his way towards Selena and wrapped a casual arm around her shoulder. She seemed surprised for a second by his actions, but she didn't push his arm away like she would do with any other guy. Instead, she looked up and smiled shyly at him.

"Crap," I thought to myself. I couldn't let something happen between them. I knew Patrick was only using Selena to get to me, and I couldn't let him do that. I couldn't let him do that to Selena. It was too dangerous for both of us.

Taking a deep breath, I walked out into the front lawn knowing that I would do absolutely anything to destroy Patrick Nelson.

* * *

_**June 5th, 2010 9: 35 P.M.**_

_I rested my head on Liam's chest as his arm wrapped around me tighter. We were slow dancing to some Killers song that Liam absolutely had to dance to. It was one of his favorites. Even though it was a pretty up- beat song, and other couples were grinding next to us, we kept a steady pace and just enjoyed it. "Hey," Liam whispered into my ear. "Did I mention how beautiful you look tonight?" He kissed my hair and I giggled._

_"Yeah. I think counting that one, it was the… hundredth time?"_

_Liam grinned and spun me around, and I couldn't help but blush. As cheesy as it sounds, he made me feel like a princess. That even when I didn't need saving, he would still do it no matter. That I was special. "I'm sorry, babe. I just can't get over how great you look tonight."_

_I smiled and leaned forward on my tip- toes to kiss him. "Thank you. You look pretty hot yourself," I smiled as he wiggled his eyebrows jokingly. Smiling, I leaned forward to kiss him again until someone pushed into us._

_"God, guys," Demi laughed as she spun around with Joe right behind her. "Get a room." _

_Laughing, I looked behind them and saw Nick dressed in a simple black polo with the sleeves casually rolled up and behind him I saw Kevin and Danielle. Kevin was looking extremely handsome in his suit and tie while he combed his hair back in a neat wave. Danielle was looking stunning. Her yellow chiffon dress wrapped around her skinny body perfectly._

_"Danielle! Demi! You guys looked gorgeous!" I grinned giving each of them a hug. "Where's Sel?"_

_I caught her pushing through in the back with the most breath- taking white greek- style dress that almost made her look angelic. Her hair was tied in a twisted bun with small strands of chestnut waves falling on the sides of her face. "Selena! I hate you. Why do you have to look so damn pretty all the time," I teased, giving her a hug._

_"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Selena replied sarcastically. "But c'mon, Miles. You look hot tonight," she said eyeing my own dress. Demi and Danielle grinned, and I couldn't help but blush also._

_I had gone shopping a few days ago when I found my dress. It was a bright crimson red and stuck onto my body into the right places. Luckily, I already had the perfect heels to go with it. "Thanks, guys, but don't even compare me to you guys."_

_"By the way, how did you get here Sel? I thought freshmans could only get in if you show up with juniors or seniors. Did you bring a date?" I raised an eyebrow. Selena smirked and shook her head._

_"Hell no. I just asked Liam for tickets."_

_I laughed knowing what Liam can do. "Right."_

_Soon the whole group was dancing and swiveling to the beat. I danced close to Liam as he kept a steady hand on my waist. I turned around and just let go, letting my body move with the music and letting it mix with the heavy drum line. Joe was doing some weird dance moves over with Demi, while Kevin and Danielle were pretty much just jumping around. I laughed and turned around to dance with Selena who had her arms up and was just waving to the music._

_"Hey," Liam whispered in my ear, trying his best to be heard over the loud music. "You want some punch?"_

_I grinned and kissed him on the cheek. "Yes, please." He called Kevin and Joe with him as they walked out across the dance floor and to the snacks table. Danielle, Demi, Selena, and I grouped together and started dancing to one of our favorite Kelly Clarkson songs. Soon, we were all screaming out the lyrics and enjoying every minute we had together._

_"You and Liam are getting serious," Danielle smiled. "I can tell."_

_"if serious you mean youknow, then I agree," Demi smirked as she wiggled her eyebrows teasingly. Blushing, I slapped her arm._

_"Shut up. It's not like that, well not yet."_

_Selena shook her head. "Oh god. Please. Can we change the subject. This is my brother we're talking about for damn's sake."_

_I blushed again and started dancing, continuing the lyrics from where we left off. Demi, Danielle, and Selena ended up doing the same. After a few minutes, the guys came back with our drinks. "That took awhile," I added as I took my punch from Liam._

_"We had a little fun on the way," Joe smirked. Kevin smiled softly as he handed a cup to Danielle. I turned towards Liam to see what they were talking about, but he just shrugged it off and tried to hide his own laugh. Ignoring their little inside joke, I took a sip from the punch and grimaced as it touched my tongue._

_"Oh yeah," Liam added. "We added a bit of something in it."_

_"What?" I asked confused. Liam smiled as the group laughed. Apparently, I was the only one who didn't get the joke. He leaned forward and kissed my hair._

_"Don't worry, babe. Just trust me. It'll taste better after a few sips." I watched as Demi chugged hers down, and Danielle took small sips. Selena, next to me, had placed her cup on the table behind her and I was really wondering if I should do the same. I looked up to meet Liam's eyes and shrugged off all my worries. It was one cup, right?_

_Swallowing another sip, I forced it down my throat and it ended up not really being that bad. The rest of the night was pretty much a blur. I remember dancing again with Liam and having a few more cups of punch. I also remembered Demi and Joe leaving early and then more dancing. Then I remember Liam asking me to go somewhere, but by the time we got outside, I ended up puking all over the sidewalk._

_"Damn," Liam mumbled as he tried to help me up. "Are you okay, Miles?" I wiped my mouth with my arm wondering why everything was so confusing. I had to hold Liam's arm in order to keep enough balance to stand up._

_"Liam. I think something's wrong with me," I mumbled softly before stumbling back onto the sidewalk again. Liam looked worried as he set me down on the curb of the parking lot._

_"Don't worry, babe. I'll get you home right away. Let me just go get the car and I'll pick you up here." I sat down on the curb trying to make sense of what was going on. I thanked him knowing that I probably wouldn't have been able to make it half- way to the car anyway in my condition. Before he left, Liam leaned forward and kissed my hair even though it was probably a tangled mess._

_"Did I tell mention how beautiful you look?" he said probably for the 100th time that night. I looked at my puke- soaked dress, my probably smeared make- up, and my bird nest hair and wondered how he could find me beautiful like this. Instead of arguing, I just squeezed his hand before he left to go get the car._

_As I waited, I tried holding my head in place to stop the spinning, but it wouldn't work. Closing my eyes, I tried to count from 1 to 100 desperate to make this feeling of no control to go away. I couldn't handle this right now. Foosteps suddenly sounded behind me causing me to turn around sharply. I looked up to see a guy in wired glasses and wet clothing walking up from behind me. I guess he was waiting for his ride also._

_"Hey?" he raised an eyebrow at me. I probably looked like a complete mess as I sat on the curb alone and probably wasted._

_"Hi," I managed to mumble back despite the headache attacking my brain._

_The guy, who I was able to tell was a few years younger than me, looked around a little unsure. "Um… Do you .. um.. need help?" he asked._

_I couldn't help but giggle at his awkwardness, and shook my head. "No. I'm fine. I'm just waiting for my ride. What about you?"_

_He looked confused. "No. I don't need help. Why?"_

_I laughed again. "No. I meant. What are you doing here?"_

_He managed to crack a smile, and I could see that the kid probably wasn't as bad as I thought. He even looked kind of familiar. "I'm waiting for my ride," he also replied. He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "In translation, I mean my mom."_

_I giggled again. "You're funny."_

_He seemed surprised by my comment, as he sat there staring as if in shock. _

_"What?" I asked. "No one's ever told you that?"_

_Finally, his smile relaxed into a soft smile. "Not really." He tugged at his wet polo shirt and placed his jacket over it, which was luckily dry._

_"If you don't mind me asking, why are you so wet? I'm pretty sure it hasn't rained tonight… or in the past month actually."_

_He looked at the floor unsure of how to ask the question, and I suddenly wished I didn't ask it at all. Suddenly, I caught Liam's car swerve into the lot as he stopped a few feet away. Damn. I wasn't sure I could make it all that way._

_"Well, there's my ride," I smiled as I tried my best to get up. I stumbled a little, but the guy helped me up._

_He looke_d_ towards Liam who was staring at us from his car window. "That does not look like your mom," he replied. Laughing, though he didn't really seem amused, I thanked him and made my way to Liam's car. As I slid into the passenger seat, instead of asking how I was or comforting me, he looked back out the window and stared that the guy I was just talking to._

_"You know that guy?" Liam asked without looking at me._

_"Not really," I answered. "He was just waiting for his ride and we started talking a little."_

_"What did you guys talk about?"_

_"Nothing really. Just small talk," I answered. "And why does it matter? I didn't even get a chance to get his name," I realized. Suddenly, a headache hit me again and I moaned in pain. That seemed to catch Liam's attention as he turned towards me and reached a gentle finger to touch my forehead._

_"Does it hurt?" he asked. I almost laughed at how stupid the question was, but it hurt too much to do anything._

_"Can you just take me home? Please," I asked, leaning my head on his shoulder. Sighing, he nodded and drove the car out of the lot. I turned around quickly when Liam wasn't looking, but when I finally turned around, the guy was already gone._

_

* * *

_

_**April 10th, 2010 6: 22 P.M. ****{Present- Day}**_

"So why do you think Grant chose that military tactic?" Selena groaned as she reached for a water bottle. I placed my head in my hands and tried not to fall asleep.

"We've been doing this for hours. Does ANYONE have any idea what we're talking about?" I mumbled.

Selena laughed and shook her head. "I don't."

Patrick cleared his throat from across the table. "I think I have an idea. I mean, he obviously wanted to get away with cheating."

"What?" I asked completely lost.

Patrick smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "Really, Miley? I think you'd know about it more than any of us. Especially, since you've been on both sides."

I stared at him frozen. He could not be doing this to me. Not right now. Now with these people.

"What are you talking about, Patrick?" Selena asked confused. I bit my lip trying to think of a way to get her out of this, but nothing came to mind. I gave him the best death stare I could manage, but he just seemed even more amused. Suddenly, to my relief, the doorbell rang causing Selena to forget her suspicions. "I'm going to go get that," Selena explained as she got out of her chair. Patrick stopped her.

"Before you go, can you tell me where the bathroom is?" Patrick asked trying his best to sound innocent. What was he up to?

Selena pointed to a hall to his left and told him to go a few doors down. Soon, I was the only one left at the table. I got out from my seat trying to sound as quiet as possible as I grabbed for Patrick's backpack. I zipped up the smallest pocket first hoping to find something useful, but there was nothing there. I opened the bigger pocket, but only a few notebooks and other random school stuff were there. Finally, I patted the sides and found his cell phone sticking out. I looked around me to make sure that no one was coming and tried my best to calm my raising heart- beat. I needed something… anything… to use against Patrick. I had just opened his text messages, when I heard a shuffle behind me.

"Find anything interesting?" Patrick asked as he leaned on the counter- table. I jumped back surprised and walked backwards trying to get as far from him as possible. He didn't seem angry, more like curious.

"I .. I was looking for um.. a pencil," I mumbled, running my hands through my hair nervously. He moved closer, enough for me to see the black tint in his eyes.

"A pencil? You have one right there," he motioned towards my seat. He moved even closer and grabbed my wrists where the bruises from our last encounter were still fading.

"Why are you doing this to me?"I managed to say between gritted teeth. I struggled out of his grasp for awhile, but decided there was no point.

His smirks and clever comments stopped. "Because I know you're going to crack, and tell someone. I can't let that happen."

I tried my best to keep eye contact, but I found myself wavering back in fear. "Well, what now?" he asked me, tightening his grip. "Are you going to tell the police on me?" He laughed harshly.

"You have to stop doing this," I whispered. "Its' hard enough for me with losing Liam."

That seemed to snap something inside Patrick as he moved closer and gripped my wrists so tight that tears were springing to my eyes and I bit back my tongue in regret. "And what? You don't think I'm struggling too? The guilt of four lives in our school? A case that is still currently being investigated? Knowing the truth of what really happened? YOU DON'T THINK I HAVE ANYTHING TO FUCKING WORRY ABOUT?"he screamed in my face. I didn't even think about what he had to go through. I always assumed that it affected me the most, but Patrick was just mentally unstable. It must have affected him in a different way. I didn't know how to react, but luckily I didn't have to as a familiar voice spoke behind us.

"I suggest you let go of her," Nick said calmly at the entrance of the room.

Patrick was surprised, but that didn't affect him. "Says who," Patrick spat, shaking me. I could see Nick's face harden, but he didn't need to do anything as a trail of voices I could recognize as Selena's, Demi's, and Joe's trailed from the hallway. Instantly, Patrick stepped away leaving me in the brink of tears and clutching at my swollen wrists. Selena entered the room laughing with Demi.

"Hey," Demi said surprised as she caught me in the room. "Hey?" she said even more surprised as she caught Patrick's eyes. He seemed a little out of it for a few moments, but he was able to gain back his composure after a few seconds.

"Hey," Patrick smiled as Demi, Joe, and Nick flooded into the room.

"Hi. Do I know you? You look familiar," Demi raised an eyebrow. Even Joe looked curious. Selena walked over and elbowed her.

"Demi. Patrick's been going to our school for the last year," Selena whispered, and Demi blushed embarrassed.

Patrick smiled. "It's fine. No one really noticed me, so I guess you're off the hook," he chuckled easily as if being invisible to half the world wasn't really that big a deal. Joe walked closer to Patrick.

"Dude. I swear you look so so familiar," he mumbled.

Demi shoved him teasingly. "We already went over this. He goes to our school."

Joe waved her away. "No, no. It's something more than that," he mumbled.

I looked towards Patrick who was still standing frozen across the room. He was almost sneering at Joe as if he couldn't stand the sight of him. I wonder what that was about.

"So," Selena took a seat as she looked at them. "What are you guys doing here?"

"When are we NOT here?" Demi giggled as she took the seat next to Selena. Joe walked over and wrapped an arm around her chair. I could see Nick still standing at the other side of the room just looking at us.

"Actually, you guys haven't been here since-" Selena stopped herself. "You guys haven't been here in awhile."

Demi and Joe looked down as an awkward silence took its place. Suddely, lound booms of thunder and rain crashed outside. "Is the storm that bad already?" Selena asked as she went to look outside the widow. It must have been pretty bad from the way she was biting her lip. "Guys. It's craz-"

The lights suddenly went out and I heard Demi scream. I felt my heart beat racing and my breathing going uneven as I couldn't see anything next to me or behind me or even in front of me. Suddenly, a hand grabbed me from my right causing me scream.

"Miley, It's me," Nick soothed as I felt his arms support me. I held on tightly to his hand until I watched Selena come back with a working flashlight.

"God. You guys know how to scream. I could hear you from the basement," she laughed passing everyone a flashlight.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"The storm obviously cut out the electricity," Joe said harshly. Demi slapped his shoulder giving him a warning look. I felt Nick's hand squeeze mine as we made our way to the living room where there was at least a bit more light. Nick and I trailed behind as he stopped me.

"Are you okay?" Nick asked, picking up my bruised wrists. "Sorry. That was a stupid question. Of course you're not."

"I think Patrick's up to something," I whispered ignoring the welts sprouting around my wrists.

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but he's been getting close with Selena recently."

"And that's a bad thing?"

"Yeah. Definitely a bad thing. You have no idea what he's capable of." I looked around again, feeling my body begin to shake just thinking about it.

Nick grabbed my shoulders forcing me to look at him. "What aren't you telling me?"

I shook my head, but Nick stayed there silent and unmoving. I knew he wouldn't give up until I told him. I could trust him. I knew I could, but it was the idea of finally confessing that scared me. That someone would finally know. I took a deep shaky breath and tried to calm my racing heart- beat even though I had no luck. I squeezed his hand as I met his eyes trying to capture as much of the courage I had inside of me for support. "Nick… Patrick.. Patrick killed-"

"Hey. Where's Patrick?" Selena called out, cutting me off. I scanned the room, but couldn't see anything.

"Right here," a deep voice spoke from right behind me and Nick as Patrick stepped out from behind the shadows.

He had heard everything.

* * *

_**A/N: I think this is the first cliff- hanger of the story. Pretty surprising since I love cliff- hangers. Hahaa. I'm really enjoying where this story is going, and I love your reviews. Especially LONG reviews. Thanks for reading it so far. I don't think this story is going to be very long, but it's just about to get good. I know there's probably still a lot of unanswered questions and I wanna see what you guys are curious about. Make sure when you review to add the questions and suspicions you have about the story.**_

_**And if you don't mind, I wanna see what you guys think happened. **_

_**Like, who killed Liam?**_

_**Was it the same person who started the shooting in school?**_

_**Why is Patrick targeting Miley?**_

**_Is he really attracted to Selena?_**

**_Do you really think someone is stalking Miley or it's just her imagination and paranoia playing with her head?_**

**_Answer and Review. I'm really curious on what you guys have to say!_**

**_P.S. I just made an intro for the fanfiction out of pure randomness so you can go on my youtube .com/ItsMileyNick123 to watch it. Thanks again for reading. 3 :)_**


	8. Chapter 7: The Truths About Love

_**December 31st, 2008 (11:56 P.M.)**_

"What are you doing out here?" Liam called out as he entered the balcony with a noise- maker in his mouth. He was dressed handsomely in a black tux that fit his built body perfectly. His blond hair was smoothed back in a wave, and I currently felt like the luckiest girl in the world. He was grinning like crazy, and I couldn't tell if it was just because he was really happy or really drunk.

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Just too much noise and people in there. It was too much for me to handle." Liam smiled knowingly. He knew how much I hated big crowds even though he basically attracted it.

"So are you at least having a little fun?" Liam whispered as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned in closer taking in the familiar smell of his cologne with a mix of alcohol and sweat. I nodded into my chest and looked out into the view in front of me.

My parents had finally agreed to let me go with Selena and Liam's family to the Alps for winter break, and I couldn't help but feel like the luckiest girl in the world. For the first few days, I was always scared that Liam was going to go for the next step. I mean, boyfriend plus girlfriend + a week without parents basically equals up to sex. He knew I wasn't ready, but that didn't mean he didn't want to. I looked up and smiled at him.

"Actually, I am," I grinned. "This place is so beautiful. Thank you parents for taking me again," I tip- toed as I kissed him lightly on the lips.

"You are such a tease with kisses, you know that?" Liam smirked as I pulled away after a beat of a second.

"You know what they say," I grinned. "You got to leave them wanting more."

Liam smiled and reached for my hand. "I want to show you something." He turned me around and faced me to the clear night sky that held the lights of star that seemed to almost be shining inches before out fingertips. "Pick a shape," he smiled. "An object, anything."

I raised an eyebrow curiously, but went along. "Hm… An umbrella."

He looked up at the sky for a second before taking my hand again and pointing my index fingers to the stars. Soon he was moving them along the stars from one to another until they each connected to make the shape of a small umbrella.

I laughed amazed and looked back at him. "How-"

"A trick I've learned over the past few years," he smiled down at me. His eyes were shining in interest and I couldn't help but notice how much interest he had been showing in constellations. Instead of asking, I just turned back towards him and grinned. "Do it again."

"What do you want me to draw now?"

"Me?" I looked up grinning. Liam laughed and put my arm down.

"As much as I would love to, I'm sad to report I'm not THAT skilled yet," he smiled apologetically as he wrapped his arms around me tighter. Suddenly rounds of voices erupted from behind us causing us both to turn around.

_20… 19… 18… 17…_

"Wow. Can you believe half a year has passed since we've been together?" I asked looking up at him. He looked back down at me nervous as if he was holding something back.

"What? What is it?" I asked touching the side of his face gently, something that always seemed to comfort him.

_12… 11… 10…_

He bit his lip as if not sure how to say it. He shuffled his feet a few times and ran his hands through his short blonde hair. "Can you stop? You're making me nervous," I laughed amused as I noticed how anxious he looked. I couldn't tell if it was a good thing or a bad thing, but I could easily tell that I had never seen him so nervous.

_5… 4… 3.. 2…_

"I love you," he finally said in such a whisper, that it was almost drowned out in the screams and noises sounding from inside the room. I stood there frozen not knowing what to do. Out of the months, we've been together, we never actually said those three words to one another without being sarcastic or joking around. Since the first time we kissed, I knew I felt the same way, but somehow, right now, at the perfect moment with fireworks and lights all around us, I couldn't find a single word to come out.

"Happy New Year," I managed to whisper. His face fell in disappointment before I pulled him in for a kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck and soon it became more intimate and passionate. He followed by wrapping his hands in my hair only causing me to fall closer into him. I moved my hands back to his face, trying to capture as much of him as I possibly could, but he beat me to it as he lifted me off the floor and into his arms. "I love you," I finally whispered breathless as I pulled away for a beat of a second.

Liam looked up at me and for a second I saw something glisten in his eyes that I had never seen before. "I know," he smiled. In that moment, I didn't know what to feel. I felt like smiling, dancing, singing, crying, and doing absolutely anything; like nothing could ever go wrong, because I had him and he had me.

Everything was perfect.

* * *

_**April 10th, 2010 (10: 05 P.M.)**__** {Present- Day}**_

"Fuck this," Joe stepped up to look out the window. He was already pissed off that we had been sitting around Selena's living room for the last hour doing nothing but waiting for the storm to cast off. Apparently from what he saw outside the window, it wasn't getting any better. After calming down, he walked back slowly and took his place beside Demi. She put a comforting hand on his knee, and I could feel him slightly relax from her touch. He hadn't acknowledged me all night, but I didn't mind. I didn't need any more drama than what was sitting right next to me.

"Anyone know a game we can play?" Patrick finally broke the silence. He was playing around with his flashlight in boredom and shone it around the circle where we were all sitting and waiting. Everyone's eyes looked around to meet one another's, but we all kept silent. The last thing I wanted right now was to be lured into another trap by Patrick Nelson. "What about Truth or Dare?" Patrick asked smirking.

Great. I could have seen that coming.

"That's so 6th grade," I said quickly hoping that the others would agree.

"Ditto," Demi laughed, and I couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"C'mon, guys," Selena smiled, trying to cheer the room up. "It'll be fun. There really isn't much of anything left to do."

I sat there frozen trying to think of a way to get out of this. I knew Patrick would take this game as a way to torment me in front of everyone. I looked to my right and saw Nick still sitting there frozen. His hand was rested on top of mine securely, and it had been there all night ever since he had caught Patrick almost attacking me in the kitchen. I didn't know what this meant between us, but this sure as hell wasn't what I would call the most 'romantic' of situations.

"I'm not playing," Nick finally mumbled. Patrick looked over and grinned teasingly.

"Why not, Nick? Too many secrets you have to hide?"

"No," he said between gritted teeth. "I'm just not in the fucking mood to play."

Joe shone his flashlight at Nick catching his attention. "Calm down, bro. It's one game. You can't NOT play."

"True. Everyone's playing .End of story. Let's start," Selena said quickly to stop anymore arguments. Damn. There was no escape.

"I'll pick first," Patrick smiled. He looked around the group, and I could tell his eyes were lingering on me. I brought my head down, trying my best to veil my face with my hair, but it didn't really help. I felt Nick's hand squeeze mine next to me but even that didn't seem to comfort me as I felt myself shaking. He was going to ask me about Liam… He was going to ask about Liam…

"Joe," he smiled, but he was still looking at me. "Truth or Dare?"

"Truth, man," he said confidently.

"Virgin?" Patrick asked as if it were a guy inside joke between them. Joe looked over once at Demi who was blushing like crazy. He looked back at Patrick and gave an embarrassed smile.

"I guess not," he said, trying to form his words slowly. I could tell how awkward it must have been for both of them. I didn't even know that Demi and Joe had gone that far before, but then again, she hasn't really been coming to me for advice recently. Selena giggled next to them, and Demi turned around and slapped Selena on the shoulder.

"Shut up, Sel," she blushed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Okay. You laughed. It's your turn. Truth or Dare?"

"Truth," Selena said, still laughing.

"Have you ever done anything illegal?"

"That's too boring," Patrick sighed. "What about, do you hate anyone right now in this group?" I could tell Patrick was talking about me from the fact that he knew half the people here still thought I had killed Liam.

I could feel Selena look in my direction for half a beat of a second, but soon she looked down at her hands. "No. I don't think so," she finally said shakily. Patrick's smile twitched, but he was able to compose himself as he turned towards Demi.

"Truth or dare?"

"Um... Truth," she said a little unsurely. Patrick tried his best to hide a smile, but I could catch it easily.

"Hm… Have you ever been physically abused by someone?" he asked trying his best to look completely innocent. I looked up surprised to see Demi hesitating on the question. What was going on? I traced back in my memory trying to remember any signs or effects of abuse on her, but I found none. She always seemed so comfortable and happy when she talked about home. I saw Joe stiffen next to her as he kept his gaze locked on the smooth marble floor. His fists were in tight balls to his side and I could tell he was holding his breath.

Demi stuttered for a few seconds and I could see Selena looked up worried on why it was taking her so long to answer. "No," she finally said. Patrick's eyes widened.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Not r- … Depends on what your definition of physical abuse is," Demi explained trying her best to compose herself. Joe was still silent next to her, and I swear the room felt a little more suffocating. Finally, Patrick looked over at me.

"Miley. Your turn," he smirked, and I couldn't help but feel my body gently shaking in anticipation. I already had an idea of the type of questions he was going to ask me. Once they knew, the secret wouldn't stay a secret forever.

Suddenly, Nick's hand squeezed mine as his voice broke through the tense air. "No. I'll be next," he interrupted, his voice stiff and unenthusiastic. I saw Patrick waver for a second, but he kept his cool; something he was getting extremely good at.

"Fine," he said. "Truth or dare, Hanson? What's it going to be?"

"Just say dare, Nick," Selena called out. "I'm tired of all these truths." She looked over to Demi and Joe who were still frozen in their spots as if wishing they were somewhere else right now.

"Fine. Dare," Nick finally said.

Patrick smiled, and I could already tell that this wasn't going to turn out well. I felt Nick's hand tighten next to mine, so I squeezed back supportively. We couldn't let him get to us.

"I dare you to kiss Miley. Right here, right now."

Selena accidentally let out a small gasp, or maybe it was me. I couldn't remember. All I remember was that Demi and Joe's head snapped up surprised and I sat there completely in shock. As I was about to protest, Nick hovered over me and soon enough his lips were on mine. It was different from kisses with Liam. Liam's were always safe and comfortable; like we were only doing it because it felt like we had to.

As Nick's lips moved over mine, I couldn't help but mix my hands into his smooth locks of jet black curls and pull him closer. His hands grasped around my back pulling me towards him even though I felt like there was no longer any room to breathe. I took in his familiar scent of cologne and pine which made my toes tingle all the way down to my feet. In that moment, everything just felt right.

A cough emitted around us, and I pulled back immediately remembering where we were and what the circumstances were. Demi and Joe looked absolutely shocked as their mouths were gaped open as if they had just seen a guy jump off the twin towers. Selena looked awkward as she sat there trying to act like she didn't see anything. Patrick though, he looked absolutely satisfied. Like we did exactly what he wanted us to do.

Embarrassed and pissed off, I leaned forward and shined my flashlight directly at Patrick's eyes. He seemed surprised at my actions as he leaned back as if scared. "Your turn, Patrick," I put on a big fat fake smile. "Truth or dare?"

He tried his best to look confident, but I was starting to know him way too well. "Truth," he said. I could tell he didn't trust me with the dares. If he was going to let out my secrets, why not I let out his.

"Have you ever killed anyone?" I asked point blankly. He seemed taken back at the lack of subtleness in my question. "Yes. You heard me. Have you ever killed anyone?"

"Miley. I think that's a little too har-" Selena interrupted, but I wouldn't listen to her.

"Depends on how you would define 'kill'," Patrick answered calmly.

"Cut the BS," I raised my voice. "You know the hell what I mean by kill."

"Miley. Sto-" Selena tried interrupting again as she put her head in her hands.

"No, Miley. I really don't. Define it for me. You should know," he answered piercing his black eyes into my own gray ones.

"Kill as in taking away someone's fucking life for no damn reason," I answered.

"No damn reason? If that's the definition, then no. I have not killed anyone," he explained keeping eye- contact with me the whole time.

"Lying son of a-"

"MILEY! CAN YOU SHUT UP AND CALM DOWN," Selena yelled exasperated. I could tell that she was stressed out as she constantly ran her hands through her hair. Demi and Joe were still shaking across from me. "I think this game got to us a little too much," she explained trying to calm down.

"You think," I mumbled sarcastically. I was surprised that Patrick didn't have any more smart- ass comments as he just sat there thinking to himself. I took that moment to turn to Nick who was sitting with his knees up. He looked disheveled as his curls were going in all directions. I wondered if I did that. I was wondering what he thought about the kiss or why he had even agreed to it so easily in the first place, but he wouldn't even look at me much less talk to me.

Silence soon ended up filling the room as everyone sat in their own space taking their own time to think. Across from me, Joe had already fallen asleep and Demi had moved to the other side of the room, nearer to the window. Selena had fallen asleep on one of the couches and Patrick fell asleep on the other one. Nick was just lying down facing the ceiling, but I couldn't tell if he had fallen asleep yet or not.

"Hey," I whispered to Demi quietly, trying my best not to wake anyone up. She looked up at me, and I could easily tell she had been crying.

"Hey," she tried to smile back, but it ended up just looking forced.

I sat across from her and touched her arm gently, and she flinched. "Sorry," I apologized as I took my hand back into my lap. She looked at me apologetically as if she had done something wrong.

"No. I've just been… jumpy recently."

"Oh," I whispered. She was shaking again, and I tried my best to comfort her without actually touching her. "Don't worry about that truth or dare game. It was all BS anyway," I whispered looking at Patrick who was facing the other side of the wall fast asleep.

By the time, Demi looked at me, I could see that she was on the brink of tears again. "But that's just the thing. It wasn't."

I sat there staring at her, trying to read what her face was saying, but she had broken into too many tears to tell. "What are you talking about, Demi? You're parents aren't…"

She shook her head. "No. It's not like that."

"Then what-" I started to ask, but I was able to catch the direction of her stare at someone who was rolling around softly in his sleep.

"Joe?" I almost screamed, but Demi gave me a warning look to calm down. "He… he hits you?" I asked completely oblivious the whole time. I remembered the scar she had gotten back when we met up at the mall, but I always thought it was a one- time thing.

She shook her head for a second hesitantly before breaking into more tears. "It's.. it's not his fault… He… I'm just not… He just gets so angry sometimes," Demi finally whispered through her sobs. "He's been like this ever since Kevin."

"Oh," I mumbled feeling a sense of guilt building inside of me. Joe still thought that I had something to do with the shooting if not being the actual shooter. I remembered all the times Joe would storm out when he caught Demi having any contact with me. I wondered if he hurt her then.

"I mean," she sobbed trying her best to compose herself. I reached over and put my hand over hers. "He doesn't do it every day. He's only done it when he's really really angry."

"How many times?" I asked, not knowing if I wanted to know the answer.

She bit her lip and looked up at me unsure if she could trust me, or maybe it was because she didn't want to even hear herself say it. "It's only been 2 times."

I blinked back surprised and relieved. Although I was still worried about her, I was glad that it didn't get too out of control. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

She gave back another strained smile as she wiped the last remaining tears away. "It's fine. Nothing to be sorry about. I love him, and I promised to be next him to even through the… the bad times."

"You should still talk to him about it," I whispered looking over to Joe who was not rolling around in his sleep. "It'll probably help."

"Maybe," she said hesitantly. I saw her quickly look at Joe then back.

"Demz," I said catching her attention. I hadn't called her that since the shooting. She looked up at me surprised. "You have to stop this before you're afraid of him. You know that your relationship is going to get so much more complicated if you do."

She nodded knowingly, like she had been thinking about that for awhile now. Now knowing what else to do, I leaned forward and hugged her.

"So… was the other question not BS too?"I asked looking at her. It took her a few minutes to realized what I was reffering too.

She sighed and confessed. "Yes, Miles. We had sex."

"When?" I asked no longer surprised.

"Last February."

I felt my mouth open in shock. I mean, I knew they had gone that far, but I just didn't expect them to have done it so early. They had done it months ago, and here I was thinking that it had just happened.

"Oh," I mumbled once again. Where the hell was my vocabulary going?

"Enough about me," she whispered. She looked over to Nick who was still lying on his back staring at the ceiling without moving. I still couldn't tell if he was awake or asleep, but he seemed to be breathing evenly as his chest heaved up and down in a steady calm rhythm. "What was up with that earlier with Nick?"

I felt myself flush and I was thankful that it was dark inside. "Nothing. It was a dare," I said calmly, trying not to hint anything.

"Are you sure it's nothing? You guys were getting really into it."

I shrugged casually and ran a hand through my hair. "I don't know what got into me. I guess we had just gotten close over the last few weeks, and I was lonely. Who knows," I lied.

"So nothing is going on between you two? Because that could get really really complicated. Especially since he was Liam's be—"

I shook my head, breaking her mid- sentence. I did not want her giving me a lesson about Liam or Nick. "There's NOTHING going on between me and Nick."

"Nothing?" Demi asked still a little unsure.

"Nothing," I lied again, but I must have sounded pretty convincing as Demi nodded and returned her gaze back out the window where the storm was still blowing around like crazy.

I looked out at the chaos of the rain and wind wondering when it had become so easy to lie to myself, when I saw Nick stirring from the corner of my eye.

He had been awake the entire time.

* * *

_**January 4th, 2010 (1: 45 P.M.)**_

"Miley! Sel!" Demi jumped as both as we entered the mall. Demi was wearing the usual black skinny jeans with heels that were probably longer than my fingers. She wrapped us in a huge bear hug, and I couldn't help but sigh feeling the comfort of being back home. "How was the Alps?" Demi asked.

"Good," Selena answered as she gave a look towards me. "Ask, Miley. She probably has some things she wants to tell you," she smirked.

I swallowed and tried my best to hold it back.

Too bad I sucked at it.

"LIAM TOLD ME HE LOVED ME!" I squealed and Demi's eyes widened before pulling me into another hug again.

"Holy crap. I didn't even know you guys were that serious yet."

"Thanks?" I laughed before we walked over to an empty table in the food court. Demi had already gotten us our smoothies, which I thanked her for. She knew us way too well. We all knew each other way too well.

"So," Demi asked a little hesitantly. "How was it?"

"The trip? It was fi-"

"No," Demi laughed awkwardly. "How was IT?"

I blushed realizing what she was talking about. "We didn't do IT, Demz," I laughed emphasizing and teasing her for her wording.

"But I thought Liam and you were planning on it over winter break while you guys were in the Alps?"

I took a small sip of my smoothie. "We didn't really plan anything, but yeah. It was on our minds. But I'm just not ready yet, Demi. Definitely not ready yet."

"But he admitted he loved you! What other proof do you need?"

"It's not proof, Demi. She's just not mentally or emotionally prepared for that yet," Selena cut in, and I couldn't help but mentally thank her.

"Well, you shouldn't hold it back too late. How much longer can you have him?"

"Demi!" Selena cried out slapping her best friend on the shoulder. I looked up at her surprised, but I knew she was half- joking. But it didn't mean that it didn't still sting.

"Sorry, sorry. I was just kidding," Demi laughed trying to ease the mood.

"So," I droned on. "How was your date with that Joe guy?"

She blushed, and I couldn't help but smile as her own grin kept growing on her face. "It was good."

Selena and I shared a look and laughed. "What did you guys do?"

"Nothing, really. I mean, we were both left in town for break, so he asked me to hang out. We hung out a few times alone and a few nights ago, we had a double date with his brother Kevin and Danielle."

"Doesn't he have another brother?" Selena asked.

"Oh yeah," Demi remembered. "But he's not really a socializing type."

"Wait," I stopped. "Are you guys talking about Nick Hanson?"

"Yes! That's his name," Demi smiled taking a sip out of her own smoothie. "He's hot and all with his bad boy look, but he's not really my type. And I don't even think he talks."

"He's also one of Liam's best friends," I laughed reminding her.

"Well, yeah, but that's just because Liam attracts weird people."

"Hey! Watch it!" I joked pointing a finger at Demi. "Plus, Nick isn't that weird. I've talked to him a few times. He's pretty cool."

"Damn, Miley. You should see your face right now. You're blushing like crazy," Demi grinned. Instinctivelly, I placed my hand over my face.

Demi and Selena broke into laughter. "We were just kidding, Miles. Don't worry. He's so not your type either."

"Speaking of Nick," Selena laughed as she focused her attention on the entrance of the mall. I turned around just in time to see Nick walk through the entrance of the mall and towards the food court; most importantly towards us.

"Hi, Nick!" Demi called out, trying her best to hide her giggled as he passed by. His eyes flickered towards us as he waved before walking towards a table across the room.

"Ouch. Your boyfriend just dissed you," Demi and Selena laughed looking at me.

"He is not my boyfriend. Liam is my boyfriend," I said once again, but they still ended in laughter.

"We're just messing around with you, Miley."

I looked over to his table and noticed him just sitting there as he plugged his iPod headphones into his ears. I couldn't help but feel curious on what he was listening to. "What do you think he's doing here?"

"I don't know, Sel. What are we doing here?" I shot back sarcastically.

"No. I mean alone and just sitting there," she explained looking back at him.

Demi wiggled her eyebrows. "Maybe he's waiting for a hot date. I sure wouldn't mind taking that girl's place."

I rolled my eyes and took another sip from my smoothie. "You already have the other brother, Demz. Let's keep the boyfriend count to a maximum of one."

"Then, Selena go for him," Demi laughed.

"Maybe I should," Selena smirked looking over at him. "He is kind of cute."

"Why Selena?" I asked defensively.

"Because," Demi raised an eyebrow. "I have a boyfriend, YOU have a boyfriend. Selena is the only single one left."

I looked down wondering why I hadn't thought of that. Of course I had a boyfriend. One who just confessed that he loved me, and that I loved him. I was completely satisfied with life. "Go ahead, Sel. He is kinda cute."

"Should I?" Selena asked, biting her lip. She had always been a little shy with guys. As if answering her question, a girl from school who I remembered was named Emily walked in dressed in something that looked way too slutty as she scanned the food court. Finally, her eyes rested on Nick who was still sitting alone and listening to his iPod. She walked, or rather skipped (which she probably shouldn't have been doing due to the length of that skirt) towards Nick's table. She sat down across from him. He looked up finally noticing her and smiled as he pulled his earplugs out and listened to whatever she was saying.

"Woops. There goes that idea," Demi smirked eyeing Emily's attire. "Who knew the kid was into sluts."

Selena laughed and shook her head. "It's fine. He didn't really look like my type anyway," she laughed. I looked back towards them again and how close she was sitting next to him. Weird. I never imagined her as his type, but then again, I didn't really know him very well. How would I know what his type was?

"Come on, guys," I said picking up my stuff and finishing the last of my smoothie. "Let's go shopping."

"Yes," Demi smiled. "I need a new wardrobe now that I'm a taken woman."

Selena and I rolled our eyes before we entered the mall. I couldn't help but feel myself smiling as I walked side by side with my two best friends; just like how it was supposed to be.

"It's good to be back," I grinned before we entered the crowded mass of people and stores that I was proud to call home.


	9. Chapter 8: The Truths About 'Perfection'

_**April 11th, 2010 (8:10 A.M.) **__**{Present- Day}**_

A small shaft of light was the first thing to wake me up. I stretched my arms and legs out before finally opening my eyes. This wasn't my room. This wasn't my bed. I looked around my surroundings and noticed that I was lying down on the carpeted floor of Selena's living room.

"Crap," I remembered as everything that happened last night flooded my mind. I sat up using my elbows to balance me and looked around the room. It was basically empty except for Joe who was still lying asleep on the other side of the room. I would have thought he was dead if it wasn't his heavy snoring that reassured me he was completely fine. I looked around the room, but no one else was left. How late was it?

Suddenly, I heard voices and shuffling in the kitchen. Brushing myself off and stretching out from a night on the floor, I made my way towards the voices. I was surprised to find only Demi and Selena crowded around her kitche counter each with mugs in their hands. They were chatting softly. Despite the fact that Demi had a huge bed- head and her clothes were a mess, she seemed better this morning than she was last night. She even had a soft smile on her face. Selena next to her seemed just as satisfied. She took cautious sips from her mug every few seconds as she listened to whatever Demi had to say.

"Good morning," I mumbled awkwardly as I walked in. They both looked up, and to my surprise they smiled back.

"Good morning. How did you sleep?" Selena asked taking another sip from her coffee.

"Fine," I yawn as I slip into a seat across from them. "How about you guys?"

"Like a baby," Selena smiled. "Which was pretty much a surprise after that night. Talk about intense."

"Tell me about it," Demi broke in. "Who the hell is this Patrick guy anyway?"

"History partner," Selena explained. And I was thankful that she didn't call him her boyfriend or even just a friend. I sighed in relief.

"Is Joe still sleeping in there?" Demi asked giggling. I nodded and laughed also. We ended up talking about little things here and there that had happened recently. It took me a few minutes to realize what was happening. It had just felt so comfortable, like nothing had ever gone wrong between us. Like they still trusted me.

"So where is everyone?" I asked trying to continue on the conversation.

"If you mean by everyone, Nick and Patrick, well they were both gone when I woke up this morning," Selena explained as she stood up to refill her mug. I sat there frozen for a few minutes. What if something bad had happened between them? What if Patrick had gone after Nick?

"What are you so worried about?" Selena asked as she walked back to the counter.

"What?" I asked blinking.

Selena motioned towards me. "You've got that face you always do when you're worried about something. You eyebrows scrunch up together and you play with your hair."

I looked at my fingers which had become tangled with my uncombed locks of waves and put my hands back in my lap. "Sorry." I had meant it for so much more than what she had thought.

"Demi told me about you guys last night," Selena finally sighed. "And how you helped her." Demi sat next to her unmoving, but rather just taking cautious sips of her coffee.

"Oh," I managed to get out. I had no idea where this was going.

Finally, Selena sighed and looked at me. Like _really_ looked at me. Something she seemed to always be too scared to do for the last few weeks. "I'm sorry for having been a complete bitch to you recently."

I smiled sadly feeling something inside of me rise. "It's fine. You had your reasons. It probably wasn't easy."

She looked down at her mug and I could tell she was trying hard not to cry. Demi lifted her hand and placed it on her arm as if to comfort her. Selena kept her gaze down as if not sure she could keep herself together if she looked back up. "I just miss him," she whispered.

I nodded silent, not sure if it was in my place to comment. Selena opened her lips as if she were about to say something, but she snapped it shut and set it back into a grim line. I could see that she wasn't sure what she was doing anymore.

"You didn't do it, did you?" she finally asked, her voice shaking. By 'it', I was assuming she meant the shooting.

"I didn't shoot him if that's what you're asking," I answered trying my best to sound strong and convincing. I could see Selena flinch for a second for saying it so point blank.

"I didn't think you did," she interrupted. "I never thought you did. I was just so so angry, and I didn't know who to blame."

I walked over to Selena's side of the table where I wrapped an arm around her shaking shoulders. "I loved him," I mumbled as we held each other, trying to comfort each other. By that time, both of us were crying softly as if letting the few remaining tears slip out.

I felt Selena nod. "I know he loved you too."

And after that, it was as if everything was mended back together. Selena and I may never have or gain the same friendship as we had before, but we were gaining something new; something that might have even been better, stronger. "Is it okay if I stay here and hang out today? I don't really have anywhere else to go," I mumbled, wiping away stray tears. Home wasn't really home anymore. Not to me. Nick was gone without even saying goodbye, and I wasn't ready to face him yet. And those were basically my only two options.

Selena smiled softly and nodded as she wiped her own left- over tears. "Yeah. We have some catching up to do, Stewart."

I laughed and couldn't help but laugh again. I couldn't help it at all. I had my best friend back. She had forgiven me. What else could go wrong?

* * *

_**March 27th, 2009 **__**(11: 46 A.M.)**_

I couldn't remember why I even joined this cinematography class in the first place.

Oh yeah. I thought it'd be fun. But apparently all we needed to learn was how to put on a film reel and take it off while being timed. How this would help me, I didn't know, but I needed visual art points and this was the only class that looked bearable. I was busy struggling with my film reel when I accidentally dropped it and it went rolling under the table. It wouldn't have been much of a problem if the whole room wasn't filled with other students struggling to put on their film reels whom were places right next to each other.

It also would have been a big help if the lights were on.

"Dammit," I whispered to myself as I bent down on my knees to feel around for the film reel. Some senior walked past me and tripped over me as I was on the floor busy feeling around for the film. They looked pissed until they saw who I was. Not really 'Miley', but Liam's girlfriend. The girlfriend whom he was extremely protective over. The girlfriend who he would beat someone up for if they ever messed with her.

"Oh. Sorry, Miley," they apoligized a little too quickly. I actually found it funny that some seniors were scared of Liam. I wasn't too surprised to see that the senior who had tripped over me was a lanky acne- hit student who was more on the short side of the bar. Too frustrated with the lost film reel, I just shook my head and went back to searching.

"Do you need help?" a familiar voice asked. I looked up to see the guy from the dance parking lot. He was dressed in a collared shirt that was a poorly chosen girl of lime and his glasses were a little too big on him as they constantly slid off his nose. His dark hair was way too short to look cute. Actually, he was just way too awkward to even cross the good- looking line.

"Um. I don't know if you can help me. It's really dark in here and my film reel just rolled off under here. "

He bit his lip unsure as if he were thinking to himself. I didn't think making a decision to help me pick up a stupid film reel or not was that important but it took him a few minutes before finally reacting. "Here. Have mine," he finally mumbled as he gave me his own reel. I didn't really have much choice but to accept it since he basically pushed it into my hands. I raised my eyebrow until I saw Mr. Solomon walking towards us. He was probably one of the strictest teachers in the whole high school. If something wasn't perfect, he would kick you out of class. Your only other option to stay away from trouble was to completely ignore him the whole semester or to skip it. So far, I had been successful in ignoring him, since my class credits couldn't handle skipping the class. But then again, I had only been in this class for a few weeks. My '_success' _couldn't go on forever.

I clutched his film reel in my hands as Mr. Solomon passed by us in his usual sweater vest and slacks attire. "Ms. Stewart? What do you think you're doing? Why aren't you doing the exercise?"

I stared at him, my mind going blank. Usually, I could come up with some excuse even if it was extremely stupid, but right now, under pressure, nothing came to mind. "I … uh… " I stuttered, shuffling around my mind looking for anything to say.

"She's already finished it," the guy who had given me his reel suddenly interrupted. Mr. Solomon turned to him sharply before turning back to me.

"Already finished? I'm impressed, Ms. Stewart," he nodded approvingly. "Most students take awhile to get used to it. I am glad to see you are catching on well," he praised, and I swear to god, he smiled. He never smiled. I couldn't help but smile back since it was the first time in this class that I had actually done right.

Well, technically, I hadn't done anything, but if he believed I did, I was fine with that.

Finally, he turned towards the other guy who had helped me. "And you sir? Where is your film reel?"

I bit my lip feeling guilty for taking his. "Sorry. Mine dropped under the table, Mr. Solomon."

I could see Mr. Solomon's mouth tighten into a grim line as he shook his head. He called the class's attention as he stood next to us. By then, everyone's eyes were on us and I couldn't help but hold my breath knowing that what to come wasn't going to be good. "Class, now that I have your attention, I wanted to point out something very important. Thanks to this young man's very very big mistake, I now have a valuable lesson to teach you."

I brought my gaze down to the floor, blushing and letting guilt rise in me. That could have been me getting embarrassed in front of everyone right now. My eyes flickered towards him, but he was just standing there frozen as if his mind were wandering somewhere else. "This young man here has dropped his film reel. Do any of you know how drastic this is?"

The room stayed silent as if not knowing what they should do. Or maybe they were all just too scared to respond.

"Imagine if you had spent HOURS or maybe even days on this film? And you just 'accidentally dropped' it. You would have lost all that hard work, and in some cases, money," he explained strictly. "You are one very lucky young man that this was only a practice reel and not the real thing. "

"I'm really really sorry," he finally responded though it didn't really sound like he was. Mr. Solomon shook his head one more time before finally leaving us alone to go harass another student who didn't attach the film correctly. Embarrassed, I walked up to and gave him his reel back.

"Thanks for that. I owe you big time," I smiled encouragingly. He didn't really seemed fazed with the whole scolding and embarrassment thing in front of the whole class, but he still seemed nervous as if Mr. Solomon was still standing right next to us.

"No problem," he smiled. It was a slightly crooked smile, but it was nice enough. He opened his mouth to say more, but at that exact moment the bell rang indicating it was time for lunch. I exhaled a sigh of relief already stressed out from this one class. All I needed now was to just see Liam and relax. Ever since our trip together over winter break, things had been going along better than ever. Of course, we weren't perfect and still had out fights now and then, but we would never last a night without apologizing to each other in the same hour we fought. That was just how we were. We loved each other enough to forgive no matter what.

I turned around to thank the guy who had given me his film reel, and I was surprised to see he was sweating. He looked like he was about to pop a vein. "Are you okay?" I asked worried. His eyes flickered to me and I could tell he wanted to say something.

Finally, after I was about to turn around and leave, he finally opened his mouth. "Can I walk you to your next class?" his voice cracked with nerves. I took that time to actually look at him. He wasn't very good- looking if that's how you want to describe him. He was also a few inches shorter than me as well as years younger than me. Plus, I didn't want to lead this guy on. I had a boyfriend, and this guy really wasn't my type either.

"Um. That would be nice, but I kind of have lunch next," I explained. Liam was also probably waiting right outside the room to walk me to the cafeteria.

"Oh," he mumbled, looking down. He looked like all he wanted to do was melt into the floor right there and then and just disappear. I knew how he felt. Before meeting Liam, I was just some freaky art girl that everyone acted as if I didn't even exist. Maybe it was easier that way. For them, I mean. Ignoring me was the only easy way out. I reached over and laid a hand on his arm. He seemed surprised as his eyes flashed at mine. I flinched for a second not sure if what I had done was exactly the right thing to do, but soon he relaxed and smiled at me.

"Maybe um," I mumbled not exactly sure what to say. "Maybe some other time?" I finally got out. It might not have been a definite invitation, but he reacted as if he had just won the freaking world. I didn't like him. Well, I did, but not in that way. Not in the way I hope he wasn't thinking about. I guess you could say that most of the basis of that invitation was from guilt of being able to relate to who I had once been.

As I let him walk me out of class, I turned around and felt Liam's familiar arms wrap around me. His friends surrounded us with chatter and hooting from stuff that had happened on the field during practice that morning. "Hey," Liam whispered as he lined my neck with small butterfly kisses. I giggled and tried my best to pull away. As much as I loved his kisses, I hated doing in front of everyone; especially all of his friends.

A boom of hooting erupted a few moments after. I turned around after finally escaping Liam's grasp to see a bunch of his football buddies with a lazy arm around the guy who helped me with the film reel. "Hey, Snort" a football player who I instantly recognized as Jackson Stone smirked as he held him in a loose head lock.

"Guys, let him go," I exclaimed seriously. My voice was drowned out in their laughs and shouts, and I looked up at Liam for support. Sighing, he let go of me and walked over to the group of guys crowded around 'Snort'.

"Break it up guys," Liam explained as he loosened Jackson's hold on him and set him free. Liam didn't ask him if he was alright, but instead just walked back to me with an '_areyouhappy_' look. I would have been pissed at him for being so damn rude for no reason, but by then, I was just way too tired to even argue.

"So what's your name? I never really got the chance to know," I smiled encouragingly despite the rest of Liam's friends' snickers and whispers that just happened to be 'loud enough' for him to hear. What dicks.

"His name is Snort, Miley," Jackson smirked.

"Seriously."

He opened his mouth, but Jackson elbowed him grinning like an idiot. All his friends were laughing behind him as if he were the funniest damn guy in the world instead of the biggest drugee in the school who was only on the football team because of steroids. "Just call him Snort. He likes that name. Don't you, Snort?" he took his chin into his hands and mocked cooed him as if he were a 4 year old. I could tell that his face was burning up. I just couldn't tell if it was from embarrassment or anger. Maybe it was even both. "Tell her you want to be called Snort," he smirked again.

"Just call me Snort," he finally mumbled as if just wanting them to shut up already. Jackson and a few of his buddies slapped him on the back. I tried to smile encouragingly, because I knew he was either really annoyed or really embarrassed.

"Well, I guess I'll see-"

"It's time to go to lunch," Liam interrupted me as he wrapped an arm around my waist and turned me around to walk down the hallway. As we walked away, I felt Liam's arm tighten around me. He continued talking to me as if to try to capture my attention to the fullest of his ability, but I couldn't help but turn back around to look at 'Snort'.

I caught him staring at Liam and I as we walked farther and farther down the hallway. "Don't worry about him," Liam sighed, pulling me closer.

"I'm not worrying about him."

"Miles. I've known you long enough to know when you're worried," he smiled as he kissed me on the forehead. I looked back up at him to meet his patient gaze. Finally, I nodded and tried shaking away every single worry that I had in my head. I was with Liam; the one person who I never had to feel scared or uncomfortable around. I was happy. Actually, I was more than happy. I felt like my life was so damn perfect right now that nothing could ever go wrong. Nothing.

But for some reason, I couldn't help but turn around once more, just in time to see him disappear around the corner buried inside the hooting group of Liam's friends.

* * *

_**April 14th, 2010 (6: 12 P.M.) **__**{Present- Day}**_

I sat at the register of the book store for work. I had arrived a few minutes later that I was supposed to. I had done a little shopping with Demi and Selena, and for the first time in a long long time, life was good. When they had first invited me, I was so scared that it would turn out awkward, and we wouldn't have anything to talk about. But in actual reality, it was the complete opposite. We talked so much as if we were filling in the gaps of conversations we had missed during our fall out. I don't think I had laughed or smiled that much in a long time.

Luckily, Nick didn't comment or check me off late as I rushed into the store a couple minutes past my regular time.

Actually, he didn't comment at all or even talk to me from the minute I got here. Honestly, I don't even think he looked up. What his problem was, I didn't know, but I hoped he got over it in the next few minutes. As I swiveled around on the chair at the front register, I shuffled through a magazine that I had found at the bottom of an old stack. A small crash erupted from a row in the back, and since there weren't any customers coming in, I stood up to check what was going on.

"Hey," I greeted as I saw Nick on the floor picking up a few books that had fallen. He looked up once before finally looking down. He didn't say anything back. "Um. Do you need any help?" I continued. He ignored whatever I said and continued picking up the fallen books on the floor. Finally, he pulls himself up again and places the book back on the shelf.

"So," I continue hoping that he would say something, anything to me. Why was he so pissed in the first place? Was it something with Patrick? "You left pretty early a few nights ago at Selena's house," I finally managed to say. "Patrick left early too. Did anything happen between you two?"

As if annoyed by me, he shrugged quickly and escaped around the corner to sort another stack of books. Frustrated, I followed him. "What the hell is your problem, Nick? What happened with Patrick?" He didn't answer, but he did stop working and fixed his gaze on the floor. "Did he hurt you?" I asked biting my lip, scared of the answer.

"Goddammit, Miles!" he screamed running his hands through his mess of curls. "Does it always have to be something about this Patrick guy? Or about you? Or all this crap you got yourself messed up in? Maybe I'm just pissed. Maybe I'm pissed at you. Did that ever come to mind?" he exhaled exasperated as if he had been holding it back for the last few hours if not days. I stayed frozen just staring at him. My mind was still processing what he had just said, but I just didn't want to accept it. He was the one person who had always been there for me and supported me when no one else did. He believed me when everyone else didn't. He listened when there was no one else to turn to. I cautiously looked at him as he stood there catching his breath and calming himself down. I thought he would turn around right there and apologize or even pull me into a hug telling me that what he said was a mistake. That he didn't know what came over himself or that he'd be meeting me up at the same storage room we had been hanging out in for the last few weeks.

But he didn't. Instead, he grumbled something that was too low for me to hear before turning the corner and leaving me alone.

I grumbled to myself and went back to my regular post at the register. I wasn't going to even think about him right now. As far as I knew, my life was perfect. I had my two best friends back. I hadn't seen Patrick in days or made any contact with him at all, and I even managed to have a fairly decent conversation with my parents last night at dinner. I didn't need him. My life was perfect. Absolutely perfect.

Yet for some reason, I still doubted myself.

* * *

_**April 14th, 2010 (10: 10 P.M.) **__**{Present- Day}**_

"Mom?" I called out as I dropped the house keys at the front table near the door. The lights had been on when I had arrived. My parents usually slept early since they had to wake up for work early as well. My mom had just returned back to her job a few weeks ago, and she was as happy as ever. She had taken a break from work to escape the rumors and accusations that came with the shooting. This town was too small to keep people from talking.

"Mom? Dad?" I called out again. I walked towards the living room where the lights were all open to see my Mom nervously tapping her fingers on the arm of the sofa with my dad holding her hand next to her. I was about to walk in and ask what was wrong until my eyes wandered over to the other side of the room where a man was sitting with a mug of what I assumed was coffee in his hands.

I wouldn't have taken much notice to him if he hadn't been wearing a clean crisp blue police uniform.

All eyes snapped up at me as I entered the room. I shifted my feet uncomfortably.

"Miley," my mom stood up as she prepared to introduce the stranger. "This is Officer- "

"Detective," he corrected as he stood up also and went up to me to shake my hand. "Detective Wilden." From where I was standing, I could easily tell that he was in his 30's to 40's. His dark brown hair was cropped close to his head and he had a short stubble of facial hair growing at the base of his chin. He must have also been up to 6 feet as I had to literally tilt my head up to look at him. He looked like the perfect description of an evil character in a movie or book plot line.

"Um... Is there something wrong?" I asked confused as I eyed his badge. What was he doing here?

Officer Wilden seemed slightly amused by my question for a second before finally morphing back into a seriousness as hard as stone. "I need to ask you a few questions about the shooting. Is that okay with you?"

I looked back at him as I answered sounding the most confident I could manage. "Sure. No problem."

Even though it wasn't. Not even close.


	10. Chapter 9: The Truths About Hiding

_**March 16th, 2010**__** (8: 23 A.M.**_)

_"Liam," I whispered in between kisses. "Not right here."_

_I was pushed back into a locker as he lined my neck with kisses. I wrapped my arms around his neck and tried to calm my breathing. Finally, he stopped and looked up at me with a smirk._

_"Why not?" he grinned as he leaned forward to kiss me on the lips again._

_"Because," I explained even though he was making it extremely hard to talk or even just breathe. "What if a teacher sees us. We can get expelled."_

_"Babe," he finally pulled away for a second to explain. "They're giving out free waffles at the cafeteria. No one is going to be walking down these halls," he chuckled. I was about to argue until his lips met mine fiercely. As if losing control of my own self, I leaned even closer, if that was even possible, and kissed him harder. I moved my arms from his neck and wrapped my hands around his hair, pulling him towards me. I lined his jaw with hungry kisses before meeting his lips again._

_"Fuck, Miles," he whispered through short pants of breath. "You're making me go crazy." Smirking, I deepened the kiss even more. Ignoring the uncomfort of the locker pushing into my hip, I kissed him again. My hand snaked up his polo shirt as it grazed his well- built abs. Soon, I was engulfed with the intoxicating scent of his cologne and I couldn't help but sigh._

_"I love you so much," I whispered, lining his neck and jaw with soft lingering kisses._

_"I love you t-" he was about to say until a round of ear- piercing gun shots erupted down the hall… In the direction of the cafeteria._

_"What the hell," I was about to scream as I ran towards the cafeteria in shock, but Liam's hand clamed over my mouth and turned me around. He held a finger to his lips giving me a sign to be quiet as he looked back down the hall. "What's happening, Liam?" I sobbed out. I didn't even realize I had started crying. As if unsure to answer the question himself, he took my hand and ran down the hallway. We passed by halls and halls of empty classrooms until we stopped at a dead end. Suddenly, the lock- down alarm rippled through the air almost deafening our ears. I looked towards Liam shaking, and for the first time in the last 2 years I had known him, he looked scared too._

_"Come on," Liam whispered even though it was almost drowned out in the wailing of the alarm. He let go of my hand for as a few seconds as he turned towards the guys locker- room. The only thing left in the hallway. He slammed his shoulder into the door until the locked clicked open. As his hand left mine to open the door, I couldn't help but start shaking again. Paranoid, I kept turning around to look back down the hall to see if anyone was coming or even if there were any dead bodies, but for now no one was there. And that scared me. This never happened in a town like ours. Our lives were perfect. Things like this weren't supposed to happen._

_Liam grasped my head in both of his hands and forced me to turn around. "Don't look back. Keep your eyes on me the entire time. Promise?" I couldn't help, but stare back into his own gray- blue eyes, the same color as mine, and nod. Tears were still streaking down my face uncontrollably as Liam pulled me inside the boy's locker room. He squeezed my hand tighter as we walked further inside and stopped as he crouched down behind a row of lockers. I bent down and did the same. He fit me in between his knees and just held me kissing my hair._

_Now all we had to do was wait._

_"Don't worry," Liam whispered as he tried to calm me down. He rubbed my shoulders and spoke in the softest tone he could manage, but I still couldn't relax. I should have listened when I had the chance…_

_Suddenly, we heard the soft click of the locker room door opening and I had to bite down on my tongue to keep myself from screaming. Fresh blood filled my mouth and I shut my eyes closed trying to convince myself that this wasn't real. This wasn't happening._

_I felt Liam shaking next to me also, and I turned around to see his eyes watering. Still, he tried his best to seem reassuring even when the footsteps were coming closer and closer. He finally whispered with the small strength he had left, "It's going to be alright."_

_He lied._

_

* * *

_

_**April 14th, 2010 (10:20 P.M.) ****{Present- Day}**  
_

"So. Tell me what you know about the shooting that happened on March 10th, Ms. Stewart," Officer Wilden asked as he took a seat on the dining room table across from me. I tried my best to keep my composure as he kept his suspicious gaze locked on me.

"I'm sorry, but why do I need to answer these questions? Am I charged with something?" I asked confused.

"No. Nothing like that."

"Then why—"

Office Wilden put his hand up to interrupt me. "We just need a few more facts about what happened that day, and according to some people, you would know." I tapped my fingers on my lap as I tried to calm my nerves. They couldn't know anything. The only person who knew was Patrick. And he would never say anything.

"So what do you want me to answer exactly?" I asked confused.

"It is true that you and Liam, whom I understand is deceased, were the only ones at school after the school was evacuated?"

I cringed from his use of the word 'deceased', but tried my best to shrug casually. "As far as I know, yes. We didn't hear the evacuation call. The speakers were broken where we were."

"So," Officer Wilden continued as he shuffled through a thick folder in front of him. I wondered if there was anything in there about me. "You and Liam were found in the Boys' Locker Room, as I understand."

"Yes."

"What were you doing in there?"

"Hiding. We didn't know what was going on so we ran and hid there."

"And when they found you, you were alive," he explained as he raised an eyebrow. "And Liam wasn't."

I couldn't help but answer with a shaking voice. "No."

"He was shot three times, am I correct? Two wounds in the chest, and one wound in the head. Probably the shot that killed him."

I stayed silent and wrapped my fists into a tight ball. Office Wilden seemed to acknowledge my silence and moved one.

"So, Miley. You and Liam were the only ones in the locker room. A half an hour later, you're found crouching over his dead body with the weapon a few feet next to you. I'm pretty sure that Liam didn't kill himself, did he?"

I sat there silently letting his words sink in. "I didn't kill him, if that's what you're accusing me of."

He seemed slightly amused. "No. I'm not accusing you of anything. I'm just laying down the facts that we have… Unless, you have anything to add?"

I shook my head just wishing this was over already. It wasn't just the questioning that was stressing me out, but I was just plain tired.

"Just one more question. As I have heard, you were missing in the cafeteria when the shooting began. They said you had left at least 10 to 15 minutes before the first round of shots. Is this true?"

I bit my lip knowing how all the facts seemed to point to me as the main suspect. I was the one with the gun next to me, I was the one lying over Liam's body, I was the one with blood all over me (None of which was my own), I was the one without a single injury, I was the one who mysteriously disappeared a few minutes before the shooting began; enough time to have found a weapon.

"Okay, Ms. Stewart. That's all for now," Detective Wilden announced as he stood up from his chair. He fixed his folder before placing it underneath his arm.

"That's it?" I asked instinctively. I cursed at myself wishing I just hadn't said anything at all.

"Oh no," Detective Wilden chuckled as if he found this so so amusing. "I'll be back in the next few days as more evidence surfaces. Don't worry. You can't get rid of me too quickly."

He had been joking, but I still couldn't find enough strength in me to laugh. He held out his hand for me to shake, and of course I had to. He grasped my hand tightly as it entered his. It almost hurt.

"Just call me if you have anything else you want to confess," he explained as his grip tightened. I bit back from screaming as his hold on my hand began to hurt. A lot.

But he soon let go and smiled at me as if nothing had ever happened. "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Stewart. Have a good night."

I nodded back and forced myself to mirror a fake smile before leading him out the door. After I heard his engine turn on and fade away until I couldn't hear it at all, I slumped down on the floor and buried my face in my hands as I started to cry.

* * *

_**April 16th, 2010 (12: 10 P.M.) **__**{Present- Day}**_

"Where's the race?" Selena asked as she walked next to me. She was carrying a few shopping bags effortlessly as she kept up with my long strides.

"Sorry. I've been a little stressed.' I apologized. The questioning with Detective Wilden was still spooking me. It felt like he was about to jump out of every corner.

"About what?"

"Nothing really. I've just had some trouble at home," I lied. I ran my hands through my uncombed waves of hair, making it even messier than it originally was, and that's saying a lot. Selena seemed to take my answer as she didn't pry but rather ramble on about something that happened during lacrosse practice just like old times. I tried my best to pay attention, but too many worries were racing around in my mind. We were halfway towards the food court when I saw a familiar face lurking on the other side of the mall. He was sitting with crossed legs on a wooden bench while a copy of the Wall Street Journal rested easily on his lap.

Detective Wilden.

As we passed by, I stopped Selena. "Hey, Sel. I really want to look around here," I quickly made an excuse as I motioned towards the Bed Bath and Body store that was the first store I had laid my eyes on. "Do you mind if I say hi and just catch up with you here in a few minutes. I think I see someone I know," I tried not to sound nervous, but I couldn't help but flicker my eyes towards Wilden's direction. "It'll be really quick," I finished with an innocent smile.

Selena, being completely oblivious to the situation, shrugged and walked into the store I had asked her to. Sighing in relief, I walked across the crowds of people until I reached Detective Wilden. He didn't looked shocked that I found him. Actually, it was more of an amused look, like he knew that I would.

"What? Are you stalking me now?" I asked bitterly. I didn't care if he was an officer or a detective or whatever the hell he was. He was getting on my last nerve.

"No," he simply replied. I expected him to come up with this lame excuse about just having coincidentally being in the mall the same time as me, and that he was only wearing his uniform because it was mandatory; well, something along those lines, but when he opened his mouth, he caught me off guard. "My orders include me to watch you. Behavior, attitude, reactions, that kind of protocol."

I stiffened for a moment. I wondered how long he had been '_watching_' me. He might have only questioned me the night before, but something told me from the look of his eyes that it was more. Much more.

"Is that even legal?"I sneered. I'm pretty sure what he had just described was a translation to one familiar word that seemed to have attached itself to me a lot recently: Stalking.

"Maybe, maybe not, Ms. Stewart. But we're dealing with a high rate murder case in a town that's shaken out of their minds. FOUR lives of people who were cared deeply about died that day, and hundreds of other lives had been put in danger. People are scared to go out of their homes, Ms. Stewart. Some parents don't even want to send their children to school. We need answers, and if we need to bend some of the rules here and there, then we'll do it."

Noticing that I had nothing left to say, he picked up the Wall Street Journal on his lap and began to read, blocking my view from him. Still steaming from the conversation, I walked back towards the store I had asked Selena to enter and saw her coming out just as I approached her.

"Hey, you okay? You look kinda pale," Selena noticed as she put a steady hand on my arm as if to comfort me. I was still shaken up from what he had said, but I couldn't let him get to me. I didn't have anything to hide. I didn't… I couldn't have. "So do you still want to come in and look for what you were talking about earlier?"

I shook my head and grabbed her arm as we walked father down the mall, farther from Detective Wilden. Selena didn't seem to notice my haste as we approached the food court. Luckily, my stomach grumbled at the same moment causing Selena to think that my uncomfort was from my hunger.

"Don't worry, Miles," Selena laughed patting her own stomach. "I'm starving too."

A few minutes later, Selena's tray was topped with a fresh greenery salad with a bottle of fresh Evian water. I was not as picky. A large cheeseburger was on my tray with a large order of fries next to it. Selena glanced at my tray and giggled. "I can't believe you still eat like that, Miles."

"Pshh. Live for the moment. At least if I die in the next 10 minutes, I would have eaten the best hamburger in the whole county. Good enough for me."

I noticed Selena stiffen next to me as I joked about death. It suddenly reminded me of my talk with Detective Wilden which was still haunting me. I bit my lip and cursed at myself, wishing that I could have taken what I said back. I was about to turn around and apologize, but Selena had interrupted me first. "Hey. Since when were Patrick and Nick friends?"

"They're no—" I began until I turned around to see them sitting in the same table talking. Nick's face I couldn't read as he sat in his chair casually. He had taken off his leather jacket and was now only left in his simple white V- neck; my favorite. Seeing him now overwhelmed me with sadness. It had been almost two weeks since I had last talked to him. Well, I guess if you don't count the small sorry's or 'excuse me's' we passed on as we encountered each other at work. I didn't realize how dependent I was on Nick until I had actually lost him.

Honestly, I still didn't know what caused our fall- out, but the fight for knowing why had been lost weeks ago; when I made the mistake of giving up.

I would have smiled from finally seeing Nick somewhere other than work or school, but the dark- haired guy a few inches shorter than him tugged back my smile. Patrick. Luckily, I hadn't seen him around except for school. Although every now and then I would catch him staring, nothing harmful seemed to come from it.

"Do you want to go talk to—" Selena started, but I had already pulled her away to the farthest table from theirs. I didn't need an encounter from any of them right now, despite how much I missed Nick. What was going on with him and Patrick? One night he threatening us, and the next day they're best friends?

As in sensing us passing behind him, Patrick turned around meeting my eyes. He smirked for a second as he whispered something to Nick, who's eyes flickered with something I couldn't read. Selena and I sat down on a table nearer to the exit just in case he was willing to try something, and I just prayed that he wouldn't come towards me. Not when I was with Selena. Not now.

I guess I wasn't praying hard enough.

"Miley! Selena!" Patrick called out waving like an idiot. He wasn't wearing glasses again, but rather contacts that made his eyes seem like a dark blue rather than a black. His thick black hair was swept to one side, and his skin seemed paler also. Almost sickly.

Selena looked up smiling as her eyes trailed to Patrick's. She waved him over and I had to grit my teeth from screaming. I really wanted Selena to know how dangerous he was, but I just couldn't figure out how to put the words together. She would never believe me either. Never.

"Hey," Patrick grinned as he stuffed his hands into his jeans pocket, looking completely innocent.

"Hey. We haven't seen you in awhile," Selena smiled offering him a seat. He shook his head trying to look modest and refused a few more times until he finally agreed. I knew him way too well by now to know when he was trying to actually be 'kind' or when he was trying to be manipulative. God. I hated him.

"Sorry. I've been settling back into school. Missing a whole month of school isn't easy," he sighed. "So," he finally turned towards me. I was surprised and relieved to see that he didn't have that smirk on his face; something he usually wore when he was about to torment me. "How are you, Miles? It feels like we haven't talked in forever."

"I guess I've just been really busy too," I mumbled back with a strained voice. I looked down to see that I hadn't even started eating my food yet, but instead had just been playing around with my fries for the last few minutes. "Listen, Patrick. I need to talk to you about, um," my eyes flickered towards Selena who was busy playing with her own salad before meeting his curious eyes again. "There's this project I need instructions on. Can you help me? It's really important."

Patrick seemed to be getting the hints as he raised an eyebrow. "Um… Sure," he continued trying his best to play along. He stood up slowly as if not sure of what he was expected to do. I was about to laugh at his confusion, but there was too much going on to even think about laughing. I excused myself with Patrick as Selena finally looked up.

She took our excuse ad shrugged. Whatever we were hiding, she knew she rather not get tangled in. I had never felt so grateful in my life. "I'll be right back," I whispered to Selena. Patrick and I slid out of our chairs and walked farther through the crowds of children, teenagers, and adults pooling together in the food court for lunch. Finally, we stopped at a corner where Selena couldn't see us, but wasn't too isolated for Patrick to try anything.

"What is it?" Patrick asked. "Or did you just want me to yourself?" he smirked. I slapped him on the shoulder unamused.

"They know," was all I said. I wasn't really sure how I was going to word this out, but I knew about Patrick's temper and I didn't want to flare it. Not in front of all these people that already thought I was crazy. I had to take this step by step.

"Who knows?" he asked calmly as if the thought didn't even pass his head.

"The cops. Well, not the cops but—" I stopped myself trying to put my words together. "I've been questioned about the shooting. A detective is stalking me. They know something."

Patrick's smirk broke into a grim line that I could easily tell was strained. His eyes suddenly darted around frantic as he reached forward to grab me. I took a step back, enough space between us to have no physical contact. "Don't touch me. He's watching," I mumbled trying my best to look calm. Patrick's eyes flinched as they wandered around, but I gave him a warning look. I hadn't seen Detective Wilden ever since the encounter before, but I had the strangest feeling that we were being watched.

"You fucking told," Patrick sneered as he glared at me. I could tell he wanted to grab me or throw me against the wall or even just hurt me in any way, but right now, he was powerless. I bit my lip trying to keep a composed face. If Detectve Wilden was watching right now, I didn't want him to think I was fighting about something. It was too risky.

"Patrick, I swear to god, I didn't say anything," I mumbled back as I crossed my arms over my chest defensively.

Patrick's eyes darted around him once again as he took another step towards me. I flinched back scared that he would grab for me once again, but instead he brought his voice down to a lingering whisper. One that even I barely heard.

"I will kill you if they ever find out." His voice was shaking, and for the first time in the last few weeks I had seen him, he actually looked scared.

Suddenly, I felt my stomach lurch as I saw a familiar black hat flash from the corner of my eye. I didn't need to turn around to even see who it was. I already knew. I tried not to look at Patrick as I took another step back, and then another, and then another, until I was finally far away enough to turn around and run for the door.

"I got to go," I mumbled to Selena as I passed by our table. My appetite was completely gone.

"Wait! Miley!" Selena called out, trying to pick her stuff up in a haste to follow me. I felt bad for making her feel so clueless, but getting her in this was the farthest thing I wanted right now. I had ruined her brother's life by making the same mistake; No, I had_ lost_ her brother's life by make the same mistake, and I was not going to do the same with her.

"Selena," I stopped her. The following words, I had to physically force out of me. Selena had told me the same exact words on my first day back at school.

"Just leave me alone... Please."

* * *

**_A/n:_** **_Sorry. This chapter kinda sucks. I had the biggest writer's block while writing this chapter, but I wanted to upload this chapter as soon as possible. _**

**_Thanks for reading, guys. :) II've been having fun writing this story, and this is honestly the first writer's block I've had for this story so far. (That's a good thing.)_**

**_And I LOVEEEEEE your reviews. Especially the longer ones. It inspires me to write more (as cheesy as that sounds.) HA. _**_**So I opened up reviews for people who don't have accounts too. :)_) The story is starting to reveal more and more with each chapter and I like to see what you think is going to happen or what your suspicions are. **_

_**I don't think this story is going to pass 20 chapters, but rather 15 or something along those lines. THANK YOU FOR READING. And I'll try to get the next chapter up before Friday. Promise. Maybe even tomorrow.**_


	11. Ch 10: The Truths About Right and Wrong

_**A/N: I tried uploading this right away, so I hope you guys like it. It's more of a chapter focusing on the 'relationships' instead of the reality of the murder and stuff like that. Sorry, if not much Niley has happened recently, but I feel like this story is so much more than just another love story. But don't worry. Their time will come. The rise of their relationship is starting in this chapter.**_

_**I also just wanted to thank a few people who really helped with this chapter. One was my reviewers. I love reading what you think, and it really pushed me to write this next chapter faster. Second, I wanted to thank two people who I have never met but one day want to. **_

_**While writing this chapter, the song Stay by Nick Jonas inspired me so so much. I must have listened to it 6 times in just writing this one chapter. It's such a beautiful song. Another song I was listening to while writing this is Fell In Love Without You (Acoustic Version) by Motion City Soundtrack. This band, which I had just recently discovered, is amazing. This song is amazing. It really had a major impact on this chapter. So while reading this chapter or after or before, I really suggest you check out those two songs. **_

_**Thanks for reading, I love you guys. 3  
**_

_**May 16th, 2009 (11: 48 A.M.)**___

_"Hey," a deep voice interrupted me as I was about to walk out of Cinematography class. I turned around and smiled as I saw the familiar face._

_"Hey… Snort?" I raised an eyebrow teasing him. He raised his hand as if wanting to say something, but he lost the courage just a few moments after. I eyed him curiously and grinned. "Sorry about the guys that other day. They can be…"_

_"Rude?"_

_"Nah," I shook my head. "More like assholes." That seemed to strike a chord in him as his face brightened up actually amused. When he smiled, he actually wasn't that bad. He might have desperately needed a haircut, and a wardrobe change from his oversized shirts, but I didn't really carry about any of that anyway. As far as I know, he was nice and I felt comfortable. I couldn't just ignore him, because of the way he looked._

_Or the fact that Liam told me to stay away from him…_

_"It's fine though," he interrupted my thoughts. "I've kinda got used to the nickname Snort. It's not too bad. Kinda even has a slight ring to it," he grinned sarcastically. It almost looked confident for a second, before his gaze dropped back to his overused sneakers. Well, at least I knew what to work on with this kid._

_"I guess you can say that, but you really shouldn't let those guys treat you that way."_

_"There's really not much that I can do," he explained sheepishly as if he had said this to himself thousands and thousands of times again. I walked closer, ignoring the fact that Liam was probably waiting outside class for me._

_"Those guys aren't as tough as you think. Trust me. I've had to spent a lot of time with them."_

_"Well, thank god you're not like them."_

_I raised an eyebrow. "I'm taking that as a compliment."_

_Snort blushed. I could easily tell he wasn't used to talking to girls, let alone complimenting one. Since he didn't seem like he had anything to say, I turned back around to go to lunch, but something else stopped me. "Wait. Did you want something? When you called me over?" I suddenly remembered as I turned around again._

_He shuffled his feet a little unsure. "Oh yeah, um.. .well.. um… you see, I know that you're kinda um… struggling with this class and all, so I wanted to um.. help. You know.. um.. "_

_"Yes. I'd love for you to help me with all this reel stuff," I finally finished for him. I hated seeing him so insecure and nervous, but I had to admit, it was pretty funny._

_"Seriously?" he asked, his eyes wide with a mix of anticipation and bewilderment. He looked like I just asked him to have my babies. I let out a small smile knowing that I had made him happy._

_"Yup." As I walked back outside, I turned around one more time. "And maybe while we're at it, I'll teach you some socializing skills?" I asked teasing him. He blushed, and I sighed seeing that he wasn't offended, but rather intrigued by the idea. After giving a final wave, I exited the room and found myself back into Liam's safe and familiar arms._

_"Hey," I mumbled as I tip toed to kiss him. He still reeked from sweat from football practice this morning, but I didn't really mind. "What? No shower?" I nudged him. He smirked and wrapped me in a huge hug as he pushed his sweat covered body all over me._

_"So mature, Liam," I laughed as I snaked out of his arms._

_"You know you love me," he grinned as he finally just wrapped an arm around my shoulder. I leaned my head onto his chest and intertwined my fingers through his._

_"I know," I whispered wondering if I should tell him about the plans I had made with Snort. It wasn't that big a deal. I definitely wasn't into the kid that way, but I knew how Liam would react. He already warned me twice to stay away from him. Hearing that we were spending more time with each other would only worsen his temper. Not that it was easily flared, but sometimes there were just those rare moments where he could get dangerous._

_Plus, cheating on Liam was probably the last thing I would ever do. EVER. He was perfect, absolutely perfect. I didn't need anything else or anyone else. He was all I needed._

_"You're so cute when you're thinking," Liam whispered as he kissed my hair, sending shivers down my back. Even after a year of dating, every small touch still affected me in huge ways._

_"You're so cute in general," I joked nudging him with my hip. He laughed before morphing his face to look mock offended._

_"God, Miles. I think some of my masculinity points just went down."_

_"Masculinity points?" I laughed as we approached the cafeteria. Liam kissed my hair chuckling as we walked into the cafeteria, hand in hand, just the way it was supposed to be._

_

* * *

**April 20th, 2010 3: 24 P.M.**** {Present- Day}**  
_

I fixed my gaze on my blank ceiling as I counted the small chips here and there. I was lying on my back with my blankets and pillows tangled around me in a heap, just like the way they had been the last few days. Mom had called me in sick for the next few days, even though the only proof I had to give her was a slight head- ache which she couldn't really test for. But she took the excuse anyway, knowing that what I was hiding was my own secret to keep.

Despite the fact that I didn't have to see Selena or Patrick or Demi or Joe or Nick or anyone, I couldn't help but feel even worse. I felt broken. Like I didn't know what to do anymore. Like I was stuck not knowing which way to go, not forward, not even back.

My 'sickness' also luckily kept Detective Wilden away. He had come back last night, but my mom sent him away saying I wasn't sick enough. I could hear him mumble a few words here and there before finally leaving again, leaving the door slamming behind him.

My phone vibrated on the side table next to my bed once again. Silently, I picked it up, not even bothering to look at the caller. I didn't want to talk to anyone right now, except one person. But that person was gone. I could never talk to him again, and it was all my fault. I prepared myself to push back tears, but nothing came. Like I had run out…

Like I was too numb.

I threw my cellphone across the room and I watched as it slammed into the walls and shattered into pieces. Still, I felt nothing. The slightest feeling that erupted was frustration. I was frustrated that I was hurting people, frustrated that I was so caught up in this mess, frustrated that I couldn't tell the truth, frustrated that Liam wasn't here, frustrated that I couldn't feel anything for any of this.

Breaking my thoughts, the doorbell rang from downstairs. I buried myself deeper into my thick canopy of blankets, trying to get as far away from reality as possible. I wasn't ready to face anyone.

But even after minutes of silence and no response, the stranger in front of the door was determined to keep on ringing. Groaning, I pulled myself out of bed, wanting to stop the head- ache which was once building in my head once again. I had to bite my lip from screaming out at whoever was at the front door, but a crash stopped me.

Someone had broken through the window.

I stood at the foot of the stairs frozen. I felt my chest tighten as a face popped into my mind.

Patrick.

I looked around for a weapon, but I couldn't get hold of anything. I wanted to scream, but I knew no one would hear me. I wanted to run back upstairs and back into the safety of my covers, but my fear froze my feet to the ground. The footsteps suddenly grew closer and closer as they echoed through the living room hallway. I felt my heart beating in my chest in a pace that was faster than normal, and my ears were pulsing with fear. I thought about closing my eyes, but by the time the stranger showed their face, I was already in their arms.

"Nick?" I asked confused as he swooped me in for an embrace. His eyes were filled with worry, and I could feel his chest heave in a deep exhale as if he had been holding his breath for a long long time. "What… what are you doing here?" I asked completely dazed.

"Are you okay?" he asked finally letting me go to get a closer examination. Confused, I pushed him away.

"Answer my question. And… did… did you just break into my house?" I asked baffled as I ran into the living room to see one of the windows completely shattered. I turned back towards him, but that seemed to be the least of his concern.

"Did Patrick hurt you?" he asked putting my face in between his strong hands. A tingle ran through my spine from the sensation of his touch, but my confusion passed through it.

"Patrick?"

Nick's eyes seemed to snap with more rationality. "I.. I just assumed from the mall and you running out and not coming to school the last few days."

"I'm sick," I explained even though it was a complete lie. Nick seemed to notice also as he stood there unmoving, not accepting my answer.

"What's going on? Why won't you come to school? Or work?"

I shook my head, and looked down. "It's too complicated."

He stood even closer, close enough for me to smell the light scent of cologne and sun. "Then let's take it step by step again. Just like before."

I stayed silent so he decided to start off. "It has something to do with Patrick doesn't it?"

"Partly," I answered in almost a whisper.

"What else then?"

"I'm being questioned," I finally sighed, trying to calm my breathing. It wasn't only from the fact that it made me nervous to remember that I was being watched, but also that Nick had stepped even closer. My fingers brushed his for just a second. "They think I killed Liam."

Nick didn't say anything, but I could see something flash in his eyes. Shock. Maybe even fear.

"I didn't kill him," I finally whispered as I blinked back the still non- existent tears. I felt a slight tugging in my chest, but the numbness was still there. It was like a brick wall blocking my heart from my mind. It was destroying me.

Nick leaned forward to lean his forehead on mine, so close that our lips were almost touching. "I believe you. I always believed you."

"But—"

Nick cut me off. "Liam was my best friend. I knew him more than anyone else. He loved you. He trusted you. He isn't the kind of person who would just give that away to someone who he knew wouldn't keep it."

He looked back at me through those beautiful chocolate brown eyes, and I was so tempted to lean forward and kiss him again, but doubt stopped me.

"Why were you ignoring me the last few days?" I asked nervously. I had always wondered, but I was always just too scared to ask. Or my pride was pushing the idea away.

"Because," he sighed as if wanting to forget it had ever happened. "I was stressed out from everything that was going on. Patrick, and you, and me, and that night… And I kinda figured out that I kinda liked you." His voice had been brought down to a whisper as he said the last part. I stood there frozen trying to take in his words.

"Wait. You were mad at me because you LIKED me?"

"Miley—"

"So this whole time, you had feelings for me, but you made me feel like I was a complete jerk to your or something? Like I had hurt you in some way?"

"Miley—"

"I cannot believe you can be that selfish! You were ignoring me and leaving me alone because you had feelings for me because I somehow attracted you? Well, what if I liked you too? Did you ever think of-"

"Miley!" Nick finally screamed exasperated. I brought my gaze to level out with his. For a second, I thought he really looked angry. He was close enough to hurt me, and I couldn't help but shake as he opened his mouth to say something else.

"Just stop talking," he whispered tenderly as he brought his lips towards mine. It was a soft and gentle kiss that was building and building over time. His hands wove through my hair, and I moved even closer deepening the kiss. I couldn't help but fall into his arms as he wrapped them around me tighter, not breaking the kiss for a single moment.

I pulled away suddenly, trying to calm my breath. I took a step back, and I could see the transformation of confusion pass through Nick's face as I lengthened the distance between us.

"I'm sorry," I whispered not being able to meet his eyes. "I can't do this." I was still panting from the kiss that was fresh on my lips.

"Do what?" Nick asked thoroughly confused. He looked so innocent with his curls falling on his forehead and his wide chocolate brown eyes just staring at me.

"I can't be with you, Nick," I explained slowly, trying to figure out my words, as if I had no idea what I was about to say either. Nick opened his mouth as if to say something back, but he seemed to have run out of words. Finally, he came out with one.

"Why?"

I crossed my arms over my chest as if not trusting myself, and held my breath. "Because this is wrong. You're Liam's best friend. He wouldn't want this."

"He would have wanted you happy. He would have wanted you to move on."

" No," I shook my head. "He wouldn't want me to let go. He loved me."

"That's exactly why."

"Nick," I said softly. "We just can't do this. It… Liam wouldn't—"

"Liam is gone, Miley," Nick raised his voice frustrated. "Liam is gone, and it's about time you accepted it and moved on. I know you still love him. Trust me, I know it way too well, but it doesn't mean that you can't be happy. It…. It doesn't mean that you can't fall in love with someone else."

_Liam is gone… Liam is gone…._

His words echoed in my head for a few moments as I looked back at him. Suddenly, something inside of me snapped. "Get out."

"Miley," he walked forward apologetically. His eyes softened, looking truly hurt, causing me to almost bite back my words and tell him that I loved him, because I honestly think I did… But by then it was too late.

"Mi," Nick finally said again causing me to flinch. He had used Liam's old nickname. My mind traced back to all the times he had called me that. When he tried to make me laugh, when he tried to tease me, when he tried to tell me to drop the gun…

"LEAVE." My voice had gotten cold and hard, and I could see Nick stiffen as he heard the words come out of my mouth. As if understanding that I actually meant it, he turned around to go, looking back once as if wondering if there was any way to make this all better. I wish there was a way too, but there were just too much tangled in one place to find one. I had turned around by the time he had closed the door letting the slight click of the lock echo in my chest.

I looked to the right and saw the shattered window that Nick had broken. I couldn't help but collapse next to the heap of shattered glass, and feel something in my chest tighten. Memories of sitting here with Liam on a rainy day, writing messages to each other on the encrypted fog, and sitting under layers and layers of blankets together filled my mind.

I missed him. I missed him so so much that it almost pained me not to cry. I was tired of being angry. I was tired of being sad. But I couldn't help it. I loved him. I loved him with everything in me, and he wasn't here anymore. There were so much left unsaid, so much left undone. He was supposed to grow up and become someone great, and I was supposed to be there standing next to him through everything.

He wasn't supposed to die. It wasn't his time. Not yet.

Finally, I found the courage in me to pick up the shattered pieces of glass in my hand, one by one, ignoring the cuts and small drops of blood forming from picking them up by my bare hands. The jagged pieces resting in my cupped hands, I walked over to the trash can in the kitchen and dropped the shattered pieces in, watching them tumble down one by one.

I looked at the cuts the glass had made on my hand, but I didn't wipe the blood off. Instead, I just went back to the spot I had once been sitting before, right next to where the glass had once been. Now, they were just pieces of something that had once been whole. Something that once had a purpose. Eventually, they would be transported somewhere else, get dumped in some isolated area with other pieces of what used to be something, wait and wait and wait, and after what felt like forever, they would be recycled and used again; a new beginning.

And finally, after sitting there staring at the empty spot on the floor where the glass had once been, the numbness faded, and I began to cry.

* * *

**_February 6th, 2009 _**_**(8:24 P.M.)**_

_Nothing had ever felt to right. I wrapped my arms around Liam even tighter, and sighed as I felt the heat radiating from his body push on mine. I knew I didn't need the blankets on top of me, but he suggested it anyway. It was a rainy Saturday and Liam and I decided to stay in instead of going out like we usually did. We were sitting on my living room cuddled together next to a huge glass window where we watched the rain fall. I reached over a few inches from me and grabbed for my mug of hot chocolate that Liam had brought over earlier. I burned my tongue a little after the first few sips, but the pain subsided and I snuggled myself over to Liam once again._

_"So, what do you think of my cooking skills?" he teased referring to the hot chocolate._

_"Needs some work, but you've got some potential," I teased back. He chuckled softly and kissed the top of my head._

_"Do you ever wonder about growing old with each other?" Liam asked slowly. I felt his fingers intertwine with mine underneath the blankets._

_"Yeah, do you?"_

_"Definitely," he smiled as if he had been thinking about it for awhile now. "I picture you all gray and hunched over in your cane, and me still being good- looking and—"_

_"Liam," I punched his shoulder laughing. He continued anyway with a small smile on his face._

_"And we're going to be sitting somewhere on the porch of our two story house drinking tea or whatever old people drink…"_

_"Hot chocolate," I interrupted taking another sip from mine, and Liam grinned._

_"Yeah. Hot chocolate, and our grandkids would visit us every weekend, and I'd teach them how to play football, and you can teach them how to paint," he kissed my forehead as he saw the growing smile on my face. I loved imagining myself with Liam in 50 years. That he would always be there next to me as we grew up._

_"I always wanted to be one of those couples who sat at the dinner table and asked each other how their days were," I grinned, leaning my head on his chest. His arms tightened around me instantly._

_"Yeah. And then you would complain about how much of an asshole your boss is, and I would nod and make- fun of him until I got you to laugh."_

_"Exactly," I smiled, closing my eyes, letting the picture settle in my head. "And we would bicker about who would take out the trash and who would wash the dishes."_

_"And then make- up…" Liam smirked as he kissed my hair_

_"And then make- up," I grinned .as I looked up to kiss him. Finally, after pulling away he took a moment to look at me._

_"If I ever asked you to marry me, would you say yes?" he asked, squeezing my hand, and I couldn't help but feel warmth radiate through my body._

_"Liam… I'm only 16—"_

_"I know," he kissed my fingers, and I couldn't help but shiver. It wasn't from the cold either. "But if I did ask you, would you do it?"_

_I sighed resting my forehead on his. "Of course. You already know that." A small smile crept on his lips, and I felt something rise in my chest. "Just not right now."_

_"I know," he said, his smile fading for just a second. "I just… I just love you so much."_

_"I love you too," I smiled as I pressed my lips softly on his. Finally, I pushed myself away and bit my lip. "After graduation."_

_"What?"_

_"After graduation," I repeated slowly. "I'll say yes then." I watched as Liam took in my words. His face transformed from confusion then to realization then to happiness then to so much more. He didn't do anything, but wrap his arms around me and stroke my hair._

_For the rest of the night, we outlined the words on the mist- covered window over and over again until we ran out of room, and had to wait until a new layer of mist covered our past words. I smiled seeing the pattern of words written in every space and corner of the glass window; some in my smooth cursive handwriting, and some in Liam's bold thick letters. We looked over our work smiling as we read the three words over and over again._

_"I love you," Liam finally read aloud._

_"I love you," I repeated not looking at the window at all, but watching him the entire time._


	12. Chapter 11: The Truths About Goodbyes

_**A/N: Okay, okay. I know, and I'm sorry that this chapter took so long to be put up. I just had no idea what to write, but I just randomly opened the story one night and re- read through everything. I not am happily to announce that I know where this story is going. Hahaa. **_

_**Well, this story isn't very 'action- filled', but more 'Niley' if you can say. The more suspense side of the story will be coming up. Don't worry.**_

_**I'll just give a hint to say that this story is going to get a little law- filled. Ha. **_

_**Also, and lastly, I promise to try to get chapters up faster, and I know this is a really short one too, but I apologize. And thanks for all the amazing reviews. - Love, Alexis. :)  
**_

* * *

_**May 30th, 2010 (10:40 A.M.)  
**_

_"Liam!" I called out as I jumped into his arms awkwardly. The only reason it was awkward was because the cast on his arm had kind of gotten in the way; suddenly remembering that fact caused me to pull back immediately. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry," I mumbled quickly. Liam seemed amused at my jumpiness and worry as his lips twisted into a slight smirk._

_Seeing that he was actually okay, I wrapped my arm around him in a weird half- hug. "Shut up. I thought you were really hurt."_

_"Don't worry, Mi," Liam smiled. "I'm here. A few bones kinda broken here and there, but I'm here." He broke into a soft laughter as I gasped when he pulled himself out of his wheelchair._

_"LIAM! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I half- screamed causing half the emergency room to whip their stares at me. I bit my lip regretting how loud I had made my voice, but Liam merely chuckled. He walked in a straight line across the room and back as if to prove a point._

_"Miracle, huh?" he smirked._

_"You should really get back into your wheel chair," I insisted in a worried tone, which only amused Liam more._

_"I broke my arm ,Mi. Not my leg. And I only took that stupid chair because this hot nurse-" he stopped with a teasing grin. I slapped his arm playfully, and then took my hand back finally realizing what I did._

_"Miley. I'm not a freakin teacup. Touching me isn't going to cause me shatter into pieces," Liam finally said in a more serious tone. Sighing, I nodded and walked out of the hospital holding his good hand._

_"I know, but you just really scared me. When I saw you go down at the game last night, you should have seen me," I whispered remembering the hysteria I had been in when I saw a huge linebacker from the opposing team ram into Liam with the force of a truck. Liam collapsed on the ground with a thick slam of bone. The whole crowd watched in shock as Liam lay there on the field unmoving for a good few minutes. All I could remember was screaming his name and running to the field, but the football team had already surrounded him._

_Tears had been streaming down by my face by the time the stretcher came and carried him out. I remember Selena and Demi holding my hands as we waited in the hospital's plain white waiting room. Selena and Demi were calm next to me, but I remember both their worried faces clearly. By the time, the doctor had come out, I remember seeing Liam's parents sigh in a huge relief and hug each other causing myself to exhale a deep breath that felt like I had been holding in for years. And even after knowing the fact that Liam was going to be okay, and even after the fact that I had seen him a few minutes later with his same signature smirk, I couldn't help but cry even more._

_Shaking away from my thoughts, I felt Liam's lips press onto my forehead. "Don't worry. I'm fine." That was probably the 8th time he had said it in the past few minutes, but for some reason, I still couldn't accept it._

_I just grabbed onto his good arm, and walked with him towards his mom's black SUV. Selena was seated at the front seat, so I could sit with Liam in the back._

_"Hey big brother. How's the arm?" Selena laughed as she quickly turned her head to smile at her brother. Liam chuckled softly and nodded to her._

_"Pshh. This is nothing. I guess all that working out paid off, huh."_

_Selena rolled her eyes even through a smile before turning back around. I couldn't understand why they were all so casual with him. He could have been seriously injured._

_By the time, we had gotten dropped off at Selena and Liam's house, Selena said a quick bye before running up to her room to get ready for lacrosse practice._

_"Miley," Liam whispered. I hinted the pain in his voice and looked up at him quickly._

_"What? Are you hurt? Does your arm—"_

_"No," he laughed. Instead he looked at his other arm where my hands were gripping tightly. "It's the other arm that kinda needs a break," he explained, motioning to my death grip on his good arm._

_I mumbled a quick apology, and hoped that he didn't see the embarrassed flush on my face… If he did, he ignored it and took my hand. "C'mon," he said as he led me through the house and outside to their enormous backyard. They were definitely one of the richest families in town. He took a seat on a white garden swing and motioned for me to sit next to him. I took the seat opposite of his casted arm, and sat a few inches away._

_"What's wrong?" Liam finally asked. "And don't say nothing because I know you way too well to know it's nothing."_

_I shrugged and brought my gaze to my knotted fingers. "I… I just… I was really worried about you."_

_"But I'm fine."_

_"But you might not have been…. Liam when I saw you on the ground… not moving… not even breathing for a few seconds… I just felt something inside me crack. There was a second that passed in my mind that I thought I would never see you again. I really thought you left me alone," I explained, my voice dropping to an almost inaudible whisper by the end. I couldn't meet his eyes, but I knew he was watching me._

_"Miles, I'm not going anywhere. It was just a freakin football accident. Being a quarterback does have its disadvantages. I've broken bones before. I've cracked some. I've even had to have surgery for it before. I'm not something fragile. I heal, Miles. I HEAL. Don't think I don't notice how you're so scared to touch me. I'm not going to break under your fingers if that's what you think. I can take care of myself!" his voice growled. The frustration that was layered over his words surprised me for a second. I opened my shocked mouth to say something, but nothing seemed right._

_"Liam..."_

_His face softened. "Look. If anything did happen to me, just know that I love you. Nothing's going to change that. No injury. Nothing. I just don't want you to be so scared. I never want you to be scared."_

_I leaned on his shoulder, finally letting his other arm wrap around me. "I'm sorry for getting you mad."_

_"Nah. I'm sorry. I know that you were worried, but I'm really fine. Look. Still standing here in front of you. Not buried in the ground," he smirked. He had meant it as a joke, but I couldn't help but shiver from even the thought of it._

* * *

_**April 21st, 2010 (8: 05 A.M.) **__**{Present- Day}**_

"Welcome back to class, Ms. Stewart," Mrs. Landon greeted me as I walked into first period. I could feel stares and hear whispers, but by now I was used to them. It had become almost my own background music in a way.

I mumbled back a quick good morning before moving to the back of the room to where my usual seat was. Selena was sitting there with her back hunched over in her seat. I could easily tell she wanted to avoid my attention. Sighing, I slipped into my seat next to her and tried to focus all my attention on the board in front of me. It wasn't until halfway into class that I instinctively turned around and saw the empty chair.

"Patrick's been sick too," Selena whispered, noticing the direction I had turned to. "I thought you had caught something from him or something."

I shook my head, not making eye- contact with her at all. It was better this way. Selena took my lack of explanation as another reason to stay quiet. She shifted herself, so she wasn't facing me and brought her attention back to whatever Mrs. Landon was talking about.

It was basically similar to the rest of my classes. Luckily, I didn't have Selena in many classes so I was able to relax. It still worried me though that Patrick hadn't showed up to school the same days I hadn't. Or the fact that he wasn't at school today…

By the time it reached lunch, I walked out to my usual spot at the front lawn and found my hiding place right where it used to be. I neatly set my bag on the smooth stone bench that I had spent the past few weeks in ever since the shooting. I brought my lunch out, though it wasn't much. Just some chips and a poorly- made sand-which that I threw together in the morning. I pushed the paper bag back into my backpack when a smooth solid object grazed my hand. Curiously, I pulled my hand back in and grasped my small white iPod in my hands.

It struck me how long I hadn't listened to it. It had always been my escape; to drown out the unwanted reality. Curiously, I shuffled through my songs and placed the headphones in my ears, letting the music carry me away. I didn't realize how into it I had gotten until I noticed a shadow looming from behind me.

I jumped instantly and pulled my earphones out. "Crap," I whispered, taking in the shadow. I turned around to meet the unsure gaze of Nick Hanson.

"Hey. I um.. didn't mean to scare you like that," he mumbled awkwardly as he raised a hand to rub the back of his neck. His hair was a curly mess, and his eyes easily showed evidence that he hadn't been getting much sleep. But in some strange way, he still looked incredulously handsome.

"Hi," I managed to mumble out. I didn't know what else to say.

"Can I, um…" he stared at the empty spot next to me.

"Oh, um, yeah," I answered quickly, and moved to the corner of the bench even though there was already enough room on the bench for him to sit without a problem of space. His eyes shifted to the enormous gap between us and blushed.

"I'm sorry about what I said yesterday," he finally got out. I opened my lips to stop him, but he wasn't finished. "It was really insensitive of me to say that. I know you still care about Liam, and you miss him, and I wasn't in the right place to judge you for that. I guess I was just…. Tired and confused… and… I didn't know what I was saying."

He stopped and I watched him exhale a breath that he didn't even know he was holding. I bit my lip, taking in his words, and waited for his chocolate brown eyes to level to mine. "Before you argue, I just want to say that the reason I'm acting this weird is because I do care about you. A lot actually. And I… I guess, I just want you to be happy."

I shifted in my seat, trying to hold back a smile. Part of me wanted to throw myself into his arms, but another held me back and told me to walk away. Not knowing which side to take, I looked him in the eye with a soft lingering smile.

"My parents were really curious about the window when they got home yesterday," I smiled, moving a little closer until our fingers were inches from each other. Despite the fact that I knew he noticed how close we were, he still looked worried.

"Crap. I'm sorry about that. I should pay for it, and-"

"No, no," I actually laughed out loud and it felt good. Nick stared at me for a few moments before finally breaking into a soft laugh measuring my own.

"I'm wondering what excuse you could have made for this one," Nick teased nudging me softly with his arm. A small jolt rose in my spine as his skin met mine.

"Um," I bit my lip trying my best to keep my composure. "I told them that I had accidentally thrown my really heavy backpack at the window without looking."

This time Nick broke out into a heavy laughter. Those kind of laughs where tears run down your face, and you literally have to tell yourself to stop laughing because it just hurts so much. I laughed softly next to him, and took that moment to watch him instead. His eyes seemed to shine whenever he laughed and his black ringlets of curls just accented them even more. His thin lips would twist into the most beautiful smile, and behind that were straight lines of pearl white teeth.

"And they actually believed you?" he asked still in the middle of a laugh. I grinned back and nodded remembering my parents awe- struck faces when I tried explaining that my backpack had caused the gaping hole in the window. Finally, he calmed down and put a hand on my arm. I don't even think he realized what he was doing, but the heat coming from his palm radiated throughout my body.

"God," he grinned. "Thank you for making my day."

"It was my pleasure," I teased back. And just like that, it was as if nothing had ever happened. We got into an easy conversation about what I had missed during those last few days, and we avoided everything that had to do with yesterday's fight completely.

"So what were you listening to?" Nick asked eyeing the white iPod resting on my lap. I shuffled through the songs and shrugged.

"Something by the Killers."

"Ah," Nick sighed. "The Killers. That was Liam's favor—"

He stopped suddenly, realizing what he was about to say. He brought his gaze down to the grass and tried to find a quick change of subject, but nothing seemed to come to mind. Sighing, I rested my hand on his arm.

"Weren't you always the one who said that in order to move on from something, you should be able to accept it?" I asked, surprised at myself from even remembering that. "Well, ignoring every topic about Liam isn't really a good way to get at this," I said in a teasing tone, trying my best to ease the mood.

"It's just that," Nick continued nervously, running a hand through his already messy curls. "I thought you wouldn't want to… to talk about him."

I sighed and turned my whole body around so I was completely facing Nick. "A few days ago, I probably wouldn't have, but last night, I was thinking about what you were saying. And I suddenly remembered this one day when Liam got smashed by some kid from across town during a football game."

"Oh. Against Thompson?" Nick remembered suddenly.

"I have no idea," I laughed, suddenly realizing how I couldn't remember any details about that game except for the moment Liam's body was crushed onto the ground. And how his arm was twisted in a sick and unnatural way.

But then again, I never really understood football aside from the fact that people tackle each other and you just have to run to each end of the field with a football without getting pushed to the ground. Simple enough.

"Well, I just remembered the day after when I picked Liam up from the hospital. We were sitting in his backyard, and he was mad at me because I was scared to touch him. Like he would break under my fingers."

"Miles…" Nick said, unsure of where the conversation was going.

"He said something to me that day… He said that he wished I would never be afraid."

Nick moved closer until his hand rested above mine. "And are you?"

"I think I used to be."

I could sense the edges of Nick's lips tug into a soft smile. "I'm happy for you."

Finally, I looked up to him, leveling his soft brown eyes with mine. There was a beat of silence, but it wasn't awkward. It felt like at the moment, we were just enjoying each other's company…. Nick was the first one to break the silence first.

"So, what does this make us?" he blushed as if unsure whether to ask or not.

I looked down at his hand which still rested above mine. I delicately laced my fingers through his and shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not really sure yet." Nick's eyes widened as if hurt for just a second, but he was able to compose himself hoping I hadn't noticed. "I think," I finally added," we should take this step by step."

"Stealing my ideas, Stewart?" Nick teased as he nudged me, and I couldn't help but laugh softly.

I looked down at our intertwined hands again. "Are you sure you want to do this? People will-"

"Honestly," Nick stated. "I don't give a damn what people think."

As I broke out into a smile, I heard the lunch bell ring in its usual high octave tone. Nick stood up and looked at me to go to class, but I bit my lip, trying to figure out if I should ask or not.

"Um, I was wondering if we could skip today," I mumbled. Nick raised an eyebrow for a second before settling into a small smirk.

"Finally," he grinned as he helped me up. We walked towards the school parking lot together, though both of us were silent. "So food court?" Nick asked as if making sure.

I shook my head. "I was actually thinking of going somewhere else."

"Hey, Liam," I whispered awkwardly as I stared down at the smooth polished stone that was rested in front of me. Candles and wilting flowers surrounded the stone causing it to look just a bit more dreary. I picked up the old flowers and put fresh ones that Nick and I had picked out on top of the damp soil.

Nick had understood that I wanted to see Liam alone, especially since this was going to be the first time I would see his grave. I couldn't imagine all that people surrounding his body and crying over him at once. He would have found it ridiculous. He was never good at funerals.

I dropped down on my knees, not caring that the soil and grass would catch onto my jeans. I stared at the words engraved onto the polished rock. _Liam Perry; Amazing son, brother, team- mate, person._

"Sorry I'm a little late," I smiled softly. I knew I must have looked stupid, sitting there and talking to a slab of rock. But inside me, I knew somewhere, Liam was listening. "So I really miss you. Everyone really misses you. Selena's doing great. She's always thinking about you, but she's been getting better. And Demi. She's, you know, Demi. Joe's kinda… weird right now, but I think he'll come back soon enough. And Nick, well, actually he's down the hill right now. He won't really admit it, but I know he misses you the most. He's really great, Liam. He's been a great friend."

I hadn't even noticed the tears until I felt moist drops hit my fingers. "And me? … I… I've been coping. Life's been getting better. I'm actually making jokes with my parents now. Miracle, huh?" I chuckled through tears. "And I think I'm falling in love again," I looked back down the hill where I knew Nick was patiently waiting. "Is that crazy of me?" I sat there staring at the gravestone that I knew wouldn't answer back. Finally, I sighed. "I love you, Liam. I always will, but… I think I love you enough to let go. That's why I'm here… To say goodbye."

I stopped, having to compose myself from the tears which were not freely sliding down my wind- chapped cheeks. "I love you…. And I miss you... And I'm sorry."

I brought two fingers to my lips before laying them on the smooth stone. Finally, I dusted myself off and stood up. By the time I had reached the bottom of the hill, I found Nick there waiting for me just like he had promised.

"Hey," he whispered as I approached him cautiously. He must have noticed my tear streaked face, but he didn't comment. I was grateful as we walked down the seemingly endless rows of tombstones until we reached a clear grassy area that was just a few yards away from the parking lot. Slowly, I grabbed for his hand and laced my fingers through his. He and I both looked down at our hands; a completed puzzle.


	13. Chapter 12: The Truths About Friendship

_**June 10th, 2009 (4:10 P.M.)**_

_I cursed to myself as I dropped the film roll for the hundredth time that day. Frustrated, I bent down, picked it up, and started all over again. I heard a soft laugh from behind me, and I turned around to see Snort watching me with an amused look on his face._

_"You sure are determined. That's for sure."_

_"Hey," I teased back. "Aren't you supposed to help me. Wasn't that the reason for all of this?"_

_He blushed quickly, and I looked away. What was with this kid and taking everything I say as a compliment? He walked over and told me to watch as he put the reel on, but that only confused me more. He was way too good at this for me to even keep up._

_"Woah woah woah," I stopped him, laying a hand on his arm. "Can you like, slow it down? Like REALLY slow down. Cause your slow down is practically my normal time."_

_He laughed awkwardly as he went slower. It wasn't as slow as I wanted, but it would do. I watched amazed as he was able to attach the film on. It looked so smooth and flawless that it almost looked like an art. "When did you get so good at this?" I asked, trying to make sure my jaw hadn't hit the floor._

_He smiled shyly as he finished the last wrap. "I have a lot of extra time. I guess you can say, the AV room is my secret place. I've learned a lot there."_

_"Well, maybe I should spend more time there," I joked as I fumbled with the loose film which started unraveling itself. "Crap. Why did I take this class in the first place."_

_"Don't you want to be some big art major when you grow up?"_

_I raised an eyebrow wondering how he even knew that. "Um… yeah… but this type of 'art' isn't really the field I specialize in."_

_"Oh," he mumbled, bringing his gaze back down to the floor. Sighing, I walked over to him and sat on a stool opposite of where he had taken a seat._

_"I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but you're kinda socially awkward."_

_He stayed silent for a few minutes, and I instantly wanted to take my words back. I opened my mouth to apologize, but by then he had already broke into a deep laughter. I stared at him confused and mesmerized at the same time. I had never seen this kid smile that big, let alone laugh. It was almost comforting._

_"How could I not take that in the wrong way?" he mumbled in between laughs._

_"I.. I um… I just wanted to say it, you know. It's not a bad thing, but I was just you know… mentioning it?" I rambled on, not sure whether he was offended or just amused. "Um, are you okay?"_

_Finally, as he wiped some tears off his face, he calmed himself down and looked at me. "I'm fine."_

_"Good," I laughed nervously. "Well, um… we should get back to work," I reminded him. I picked up the film reel again and tried to wrap it around correctly. I was getting better, but that still wasn't a good thing. Finals for that class were coming up._

_"Um, yeah. Right," he mumbled and picked up the film reel and instructed me how to do it again. It went on for another few hours until I glanced up at the clock._

_"Crap," I mumbled as picked my stuff up together. Luckily, there wasn't that many things that I had taken out, but I double checked anyway. He seemed to notice my rush as he picked up my phone which was sitting next to him._

_"Here," he handed it over. "What's with the rush?"_

_"Oh, um, Liam's picking me up and he hates waiting," I answered quickly as I double checked my bag again. He mumbled a quick, okay, before following me outside the AV room. Panicking, I stopped him. I couldn't let Liam see him. He would only get angry, and I didn't want Liam any reason to be pissed at me during the times where we would already be seeing less of each other._

_"Um, it's okay. I can walk out myself."_

_Patrick raised a confused eyebrow. "Yeah, but I was just leaving too. There's really no point in tutoring if the person I'm supposed to be tutoring isn't here."_

_"Right, right," I laughed nervously. I looked back at the exit of the school where I knew Liam would be waiting before turning my gaze back at Patrick. He had caught the direction of my stare and sighed._

_"Is it because of Liam? You don't want him to see me?" He didn't really have a sign of embarrassment in his facial expression, but then again, he wasn't really an open book to begin with._

_"It's not like—"_

_"It's fine," he interrupted. "I get it. Popular girl. Popular boyfriend. AV loser. Doesn't really mix, huh?"_

_I shook my head, not even thinking about it that way at all. "No! Nothing like that. I'm not even popular. Liam is. I'm just me.. I guess, I'm just, I don't know, but you're not a loser! Okay, maybe you're not the most popular but c'mon. You're still pretty cool. Well, to me you are. And it's just that I don't um, want Liam to um , see you… Crap .That didn't turn out sounding right. Um—" I rambled, but that only caused him to stare at me in even deeper confusion._

_I opened my mouth to ramble on some more, but he stopped me._

_"Miley… Don't take this the wrong way, but you are the weirdest girl I have ever met."_

_I looked at him in pure confusion and even hurt, before I saw the ends of his lips twist into a smile. I felt my own mouth tug into a grin before breaking into a soft laugh. "You're really cooler than you give yourself credit for, you know that?"_

_"Thanks," he blushed, not knowing what else to say._

_I giggled from his red face. "You really need to learn how to take compliments more."_

_"Thanks?" he said again. I grinned and leaned forward to hug him. He seemed surprised for a second as my arms wrapped around his neck for just a second, but soon I felt his own arms wrap around my waist._

_"No problem," I grinned as I pulled away. "And thank you for this. Helping me with this film. I just really need an A in this class for credits."_

_"No problem," he smiled shyly as he stuffed his hands in his jeans. "So I guess I'll see you later?"_

_I smiled and waved as I exited the double doors of the school. Liam was already there at the front. I ran towards his truck and sighed to see that he seemed pretty calm. He must have just gotten there._

_"So how was detention?" he asked as I slid myself into the leather seat._

_"Fine," I lied._

* * *

_**April 24th, 2010 (7: 55 P.M.) ****{Present- Day}**_

"I'm over at 8:30 today. Wait up for me?" I called out from the register, hoping that Nick would hear from one of the row of shelves. We had just gotten a new shipment, so being lazy wasn't going to be a choice today. Mr. Opal, our boss, had already given me a whole screaming session about how 'unprofessional' it had been for me to miss so many days of work.

Hey. I'm 17. Who effing cares.

"Yeah. I get off a half hour earlier than that, so I'll probably just check up on this one CD while I'm waiting," a loud voice answered back from one of the rows. I heard Mr. Opal's voice drift out of his office as he yelled out a quick 'NO TALKING'. Chuckling softly, I settled back into my seat and shuffled through the open magazine in front of me.

It was a school day. Not many customers would be coming tonight.

Finally, as slow as it was, the two hours of my shift passed. Nick had left with a quick hug goodbye half an hour ago, and I watched as Mr. Opal waved his own goodbye, paying too much attention to lighting his cigar to even make eye- contact with me.

"Night, Stewart. Close up," he murmured, as he fumbled with the cigar in his mouth. He sauntered out of the store, closing the lights on his way out, as if forgetting I was still in here. Mumbling a few curse words, I reached for the keys that rested next to me. I stumbled a little as I felt my way through the dark. Luckily, a small shaft of light from the hallway of the mall was still left open. I used it as a guide to find my way to the entrance of the store.

Under the small shaft of light, I quickly checked my small wrist watch, and saw that I was already 20 minutes late from the meeting time I had originally planned with Nick. "Crap," I mumbled as I fumbled with the endless ring of keys. Impatiently, I jammed the first key I touched, but it didn't fit. As I did it over and over and over again, I didn't take time to notice the faint footsteps that were echoing behind me.

Shuffling through for a 7th time, a cold hand grasped onto my shoulder tightly. I jumped up, feeling my pulse beating in my ears. I turned around to come face to face with an exhausted wild- eyed Patrick Nelson.

Stiffening, but feeling a sense of relief, I raised my hand to my chest. "God, Patrick. You scared me."

Instead of apologizing or even giving a simple explanation, he shifted his blood- shot eyes around him as if paranoid. I brought my hand up to touch his shoulder, comforting him, but I quickly pulled it back before he could notice. "What are you doing here, Patrick? And where have you been the past few days? And… why are you dressed like that?"

I eyed his baggy sweat pants and oversized hoodie that were covered head to toe with mud and random stains. Under the gray hood of his sweater, I could see his black waves in a chaotic mess. It was something I wouldn't even wear at home, let alone the mall.

His eyes shifted to his left, then to his right, then behind him anxiously. I stood in front of him frozen, not knowing what to do. He looked like he didn't want to say anything, but it also seemed like he didn't want me to leave either.

"Patrick? What do you want?" I finally asked, trying my best to keep the fear away from my voice. The last thing I needed him to know right now was that I was afraid.

Ignoring my question, he dropped down and picked up the ring of keys that I must have dropped when he had surprised me. He held them by a finger, letting the keys jangle with one another, causing a ripple of echoes through the deserted hall of the mall. It would be closing in a few minutes.

Shaking, I turned to go, to find help… to find Nick, but Patrick's strong arm pulled me back. "What did you tell them?" Patrick gritted through his teeth. His eyes were wild with confusion, and his nostrils flared in an almost deathly furious way.

"Tell who what?" I pulled my arm from his grasp, but he only pulled back harder.

"Officer… Wilden or whatever the hell his name is came over to my house a few days ago to question me about the shooting. What the hell did you tell him?"

I stuttered over my words as I stumbled back, despite his already tight grip on my arm. "I don't know. Um, I mean, they question everyone. Maybe there were just going through-"

"SHUT UP!" he screamed, but his tone was frantic, desperate almost. "What the hell does he know? What the fuck did you tell him?"

"I.. I didn't," I shook my head, pushing back tears that were trying to escape. I pulled my arm back, trying my best to escape his death grip, but that only made him angrier. "I swear to god I didn't say anything," I said, keeping my voice straight. For a second, I think he actually believed it. Regret filled his eyes as his grip loosened slightly. I took that moment to look him in the eye. "Where have you been the past few days?"

He paused as if not sure whether to answer my question or not. "Hiding. My parents have been going crazy ever since the questioning."

"So… you ran away from home?"

He laughed mockingly. "Ha. Like they would care. I just told them I was going to a friend's house for the next few days. If they really knew me, they would know I didn't have any."

My gaze dropped feeling heat flush to my cheeks. "Patrick—"

The sensitivity in my voice made him snap his head up, almost as if awakening him. He looked at his hands which were still wrapped around my arm and even glanced at himself. Finally, he shook his head, his eyes weakening. "I didn't want this… I didn't want any of this. I just wanted it all to stop."

Instinctively, I wanted to step closer, to even comfort him… but I knew I couldn't. Not after everything he had put me through. I dropped my reaching hand and put it back to my side. That hesitancy stopped him, and I saw something flash in his eyes. "But it's too late for that now, huh."

I opened my mouth to say something back, but nothing would come out. I didn't know what to say. I didn't have anything to say. As I watched his face crumple into complete and utter defeat, I took that moment to slip my arm away from his grasp. He noticed instantly, and the moment of weakness disappeared as fast as it came.

"I will not give away my whole life for your stupid mouth," he gritted his teeth. He pulled me closer to him until I was close enough to see the red pattern of his blood- shot eyes, close enough to smell the reek of sweat covering his body. "I should have killed you."

I stood there shaking, refusing to meet his eyes. Finally, he spit at my face, but I was still too scared to move. He shoved me away from him and watched as I stumbled onto the cold tiled floor. I winced as my back made hard contact, but I bit back a scream knowing that it would only infuriate him. I blinked back tears as I watched his dirt sneakers walk past me. Just before he left, he brought his foot up and kicked me straight in the back with as much force as his body could manage. The pain in my spine rippled through my body, awakening every sense of being I had never felt… and never wanted to feel. I let out a gasp as I felt an intense sharpness; almost as if a knife had just stabbed itself my body over and over and over again.

I was too scared to get up, even when I heard the sound of his footsteps grow softer and softer until I couldn't hear them at all. I cried to myself until I saw the mall lights flash off, and by then I was too scared to even stand up. I tried to force myself to sleep, to pretend like none of this was happening, but the pain in my spine and the memories of what had happened invaded every peaceful corner of my mind.

Finally, after a few minutes, the lights randomly flickered back on. I pulled myself up confused, ignoring the excruciating pain that omitted from that single act. After forcing my legs to carry me, I limped down the deserted hall of the mall slowly until I turned a sharp corner.

"Miley," a familiar sweet voice sighed in relief. I felt arms wrap around me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Nick," I finally relaxed as I felt his arms tighten around me. I buried my face in his leather jacket, taking in his familiar scent. I was safe.

"Where have you been?" he asked frantically as he pulled me away. He eyed me from head to toe and stopped when he saw the scar trailing from my forehead to the side of my cheek. "And what happened to you? Who did this to you?"

His voice had gotten protective, and I just shook my head. "How did you find me? I thought the mall closed."

He sighed, keeping a secure arm around me. "Well, I was waiting outside for you. I thought Mr. Opal decided to keep you in or something later than usual. But when I saw them closing up the mall, and you hadn't gone outside, I asked them to open it just for a few minutes. I said you were kinda foreign so you probably got lost."

I chuckled, but he was too worried to find his own sense of humor. "Now who did this to you?"

"No one did this to me," I lied. "I fell down the stairs, because I thought the elevators had shut down," I lied again.

I could tell Nick didn't believe my answer, but since the mall lights began to close again, he shook his head and accepted it. He pulled me to go, but the searing pain from my back caused me to pause and bite my lip. It was the only thing that kept me from screaming.

"What?" Nick asked with a worried tone.

"I have a big favor to ask you," I looked up at him. He raised an eyebrow, but walked closer.

"Anything."

"Can you um… kinda sorta carry me?"

He paused for a second, not sure if I was kidding. Finally, seeing the pain in my face, he swept me up in his arms bridal style making it seem almost effortless. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and gently rested my head at the spot right above his chest. As he walked me out of the mall, I felt his lips press onto my forehead softly, right under the scar.

"Hey! Is she okay?" a deep rough voice called out as I felt us near the exit. It must have been a security guard.

"Yeah," Nick nodded. "I think so. She got kinda lost and tripped down the stairs. You know how girls are," he rolled his eyes playing along. I was about to laugh out loud and slap him in the forehead, but by now, my body was too exhausted to even do anything.

"Right, right. I have two daughters of my own. God help me now," the security guard chuckled. From closed eyes, I still managed to do a slight eye roll.

As we walked away, I broke out into a soft giggle. "You know how girls are," I mimicked his tone of voice.

"Hey," he said with a smile. "I'm not good with excuses."

Smiling, I rested my head back at the crook of his neck before reaching his car, an old vintage mustang that he must have redone. He opened the door with one hand, and slid me onto the smooth leather seats. I whimpered as I untangled my arm from around his neck. A few minutes later, he was in the driver's seat.

As, I saw him approaching my street, I looked up from my crouched position to see Nick's curly head concentrated on the road. I reached out my hand and put it on his own hand that was casually resting on the brakes.

"Thank you," I whispered. As we pulled onto my driveway, he turned towards me without a hint of humor or sarcasm embedded in his expression. Instead of arguing about what really happened to me, he just kissed my hair.

"Goodnight."

* * *

**_January 10th, 2010 (6: 08 A.M.)_**

_"Miley, miley," a soft whisper carried out. I felt a slight shaking, and I opened my eyes to see Liam hovering over me. I rubbed and signs of grogginess and tried my best to fix my hair, but eventually gave up._

_What the heck. This guy's already seen me at the worst._

_He seemed amused for just a second, and I slapped him on the shoulder. "Hey. Who knew you were such a morning person," he grinned sarcastically. Too tired to even slap him, I dropped my head back on my sleeping bag._

_"Go away Liam. This isn't your sleepover."_

_"Hey. My house. I get to join," he laughed. "And c'mon. It's already 6. Don't you wanna go jogging with me?"_

_I laughed softly and brought my head back up to look at him. "6? Jogging? Are you kidding me?"_

_He shrugged as if he couldn't find what was so funny about it. "So are you coming?"_

_"Yeah," I scoffed. "If I wanted to kill myself."_

_"C'mon," he whispered as he saw Selena stirring in her sleep. "At least have breakfast with me. It's not every day that I get to wake up to you in the morning."_

_I rolled over so I was able to face him completely. His big blue eyes were begging me, and he knew I couldn't withstand it. I pushed his face away playfully and stood up. "Fine, fine. But you owe me if I collapse in the middle of walking from my lack of 8 hours."_

_"Don't worry. I'll save you," Liam whispered as he wrapped his arms from behind me. I slapped him away quickly, and glanced at Selena who was still fast asleep in bed. I would probably be back before she'd wake up. She wasn't exactly an 'early bird'._

_I followed Liam downstairs and took a seat at the kitchen table. "Soooo," I droned out. "What are you feeding me?"_

_Liam laughed amused as he opened a few cupboards. Finally, he set down two bowls, two spoons, a box of cereal, and a carton of fresh milk._

_"Oh," I fake swooned. "You shouldn't have."_

_"Cheerios with milk. My specialty," he grinned._

_We ate and talked for the most part, letting out conversation wander onto random topics. Finally, as I took my last spoonful of cereal, Liam picked my bowl up and brought them to the sink. After washing the bowls, he went into the living room closet for a few things before finally returning with his running shoes and a sweater._

_"This is my cue to go," I laughed as I tried to run up the stairs. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me back, before I had the chance to even reach the first few steps._

_"I thought you were going running with me."_

_"When did I say that? I distinctly remembering saying, I would die if I ran that much."_

_"C'mon, Miles. Football season is kicking in. We won't get to spend much time together after this. I have games every weekend starting from this afternoon," he pleaded with those blue eyes. I would have gone, but I just wasn't willing enough to go. I tip toed and kissed him before finally pulling away._

_"I'm sorry, but Selena's going to wake up and wonder where I am. And I'm just really really really really tired," I apologized. "Maybe some other time?" Even though I knew there wouldn't be._

_Disappointment and hurt flickered in his eyes, but I was just too tired to even notice. He mumbled a quick fine, before kissing me on the cheek and turning around to go. Sighing, I made my way back upstairs and slid myself back into bed before Selena woke up._

_I always wondered what would have happened if I went on that run…_

_What would have happened if he hadn't met Taylor Sumner._


	14. Chapter 13: The Truths About Family

_**A/N: Sorry it took awhile to upload this chapter, but there was kind of a mix- up. I wrote another chapter that was supposed to be this chapter, but I realized how many aspects of the story I was leaving out, so I decided to give this chapter to focus more on other people who were affected in the story. **_

_**This is also means that I have another chapter ready to go for you guys. Hahaa. So I'll upload the next chapter later tonight. And then I have another chapter after that which i will definitely upload tomorrow. Sorry if I don't get to write that much in the next few days after this chapter, because my family from out of town are coming to visit us. But I'll try my best. **_

_**And yes, there are no flashbacks in this chapter. It just seemed better this way. Thanks for read and reviewing. I got a lot of reviews last chapter, and I just wanted to thank you guys. 3 :) **_

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_**April 28th, 2010 (7:05 P.M) **__**{Present- Day}**_

Laughing, I entered the double doors of the famous town restaurant; Pop's Pizza. My mom and I were snorting at something my dad had said, which wasn't really funny, but just the fact that he thought it was, was enough to send me and my mom over. Things between us had been going great recently. We almost felt like a whole family again. Anything related to the shooting or Liam would always be avoided, and they would never push for information. They had even sent away Detective Wilden a couple nights ago just because I had told them how he had been stalking me for the last few days. Never feeling so grateful, I linked arms with my mom as we followed dad to a booth across the room.

"So what do you want today, Miles?" my dad, Billy Ray, asked as he scanned the menu thoroughly. I did the same and shrugged.

"I'll have whatever pizza has bacon," I grinned hungrily.

"Of course," Mom and Dad said in complete unison, giving each other a knowing look that only caused the whole table to laugh. "So how's school?" Mom asked, trying to keep a conversation going.

I shrugged casually knowing there really wasn't anything to tell. "Nothing really. School stuff. I'm not failing any classes if that's what you're asking."

"Just not failing? That was reassuring," my mom laughed.

"Well, nothing exciting has happened recently."

"What about Selena?" Dad asked after he finished giving our orders to the waiter. "Are you guys still best friends?"

"Um… I guess," I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. I really didn't know what we were at the moment, but I was pretty sure she wasn't mad at me. For the last few days in class, she seemed friendly enough, telling me whatever I couldn't hear and giving me pencils or pens whenever I forgot my own. Just simple friendly stuff.

"What about Demi? Is she still part of your posse?" Dad continued as he tried to make conversation, even though I really wished he would choose a different topic. My friendships weren't exactly a stable topic to talk about at the moment.

"Who's Demi again?" Mom butted in as she slid back into the booth after coming back from the bathroom.

"Demi, remember honey. She's the really pale one. You said she looked like a vampire once."

"Dad!" I laughed, slapping him on the shoulder lightly. He raised his arms as if surrendering and smiled.

"Hey. Your mom said it," he chuckled taking a sip of his ice water.

"Thank for the support, hun," Mom smirked sarcastically as she rubbed his shoulders. "What about that other friend you had? That kid. Awkward. Dark hair. Glasses."

I stopped laughing and brought my gaze back to the cheap table cloth. "Um.. Yeah. We kinda got out of touch." Sensing my uncomfort with the subject, they changed it to telling stories about what had been going on with work. Mom had just finished this huge case with some local attacks, and had already gone full into the story.

As she neared the end, my eyes wandered across the room to a small table at the far corner of the restaurant. I wouldn't have even noticed it if it weren't for that familiar short raven- black hair. I stood up without even thinking, and began to walk across the room.

"Miley! Where are you going?" I heard my parents call out. Their calls broke my stare, and I turned around quickly.

"I, um, see a friend over there. I just wanted to quickly say hi," I explained quickly.

"But our food just got here. Are you sure it can't wait til later?"

"It'll be really quick. Please," I pleaded. My parents gave each other a look before finally giving me permission to go. I broke out into a reassuring smile that I wouldn't take long before continuing my way to the small table hidden in the far corner of the room. I stopped in front of the table and bit my lip not knowing what to say or do next.

Joe Hanson seemed to make up my mind for me. He looked up, finally noticing my presence and just stared at me as if not understanding what I was doing there at all. He didn't tell me to go away, which I instantly took as a good thing. "Um, can I take a seat?" I asked awkwardly, and he just nodded and motioned towards the seat next to him. I thought it would be more rational to sit in the chair right across from him, but instead he told me to sit on the seat to his left where I had to angle myself in order to face him. "How are you?" I asked, not really knowing where this conversation was going.

He shrugged instead of giving me a straight answer.

"Um, are you here with your family?"

For a second, I saw something flash in his eyes. It was a mixture of realization and pain, but before I could read into it any further, it had disappeared and instead took its usual stone expression. He didn't seem interested in answering any of my questions, but I didn't have the courage to leave or even move. Finally, he turned towards me.

"You can say that," he mumbled under his breath.

I looked up at him confused. "What?"

"This used to be the place where I used to always hang out. Nick, Kevin, and me," he explained. "We'd just sit here and talk and talk and talk… Then Nick got into football. It took up his time, so it was only Kevin and me… God, we have so many memories here… It hurts to even go," he whispered out. He gripped the glass of water in his hands tightly as if releasing whatever stress he had locked up. I couldn't meet his eyes knowing that he still believed I had killed his big brother.

"Then why do you go?" I mumbled out.

He looked down at his hands again. "The day he died, we planned on coming here later that afternoon. Our mom was making some horrible pasta, and we just wanted to hang out. I remember we were supposed to watch that new Tom Cruise movie… We were supposed to annoy the guys in front of us by putting our feet on their seats. We were supposed to stuff ourselves with popcorn and candy and soda. We were supposed to take the long way home so we can talk about it, and try to copy all those sick moves from the movie," he explained in a soft tone. I watched as small sad smile crept up on his lips as if remembering made him feel better. "But we never got to... I've been going to this restaurant every night for the past month just wondering what would have happened, what we would have done, what we would have talked about, if he didn't... die that day."

I bit my lip not knowing what to say. Something, anything, to make him feel better, but nothing would come to my mouth. "I saw it all happen, you know," Joe continued. "The shooting, I mean."

I swallowed as a huge lump formed in my throat. "You mean, you um, saw the shooter?"

"No. Everything except that," Joe mumbled bitterly. "It was a pretty big mess once the first shot rang out, but I still kept my eyes open when everyone else was too scared too. I remember Selena ducking under the table first. The whole football team was on the floor shaking. People were screaming and yelling, but the shots just wouldn't stop… I remember seeing Kevin staring wide- eyed at the door where the shooter was, but I was too caught up to even look at that direction. All I wanted to do was get down. I tried pulling Kevin under the table, to catch his attention or something, but then I felt Demi shaking on my lap. I turned to her first and told her to get down. Crying, she grabbed my hand as she dropped onto the floor in the matter of seconds. Before following her, I remember turning towards Kevin to pull him down with me… But it was too late. The shot rang out, and I turned around to see Kevin's head lying on his books as if he were just sleeping. His hair was matted down with fresh blood where the bullet had hit him, and he wasn't moving… or talking… or breathing…" he stopped and closed his eyes taking a moment to himself. I felt myself shaking in my seat as if I was watching the whole scene unravel in front of me.

"The one thing I remember the most were his eyes. They were wide open… like he was just staring at me... Like he was asking me why I hadn't helped him first… God, I could have saved him," he whispered out before shaking with emotion. I looked up to see his eyes watering, and I could feel my own tears pushing through. Out of the past month, I had never heard the actual story of what had happened that day, and right now, I was hearing the whole thing first- hand.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled through tears remembering all the times Kevin had talked to me, and made me feel like a part of the group when I had first started hanging out with Liam. He was just one of those people that you would always remember in life. The one you always wanted to thank for changing you.

I reached over and put my hands in his. For a few moments, he just stared at our hands as if it were the most alien thing to him, but finally he began to cry. I sat there next to him watching as he ducked his head and let tears slide down on his cheeks. It was soft and simple. He didn't make a single noise. He looked up a few times as if wondering if I was still there, but I knew I wasn't going anywhere. I just kept one hand squeezing his, and brought the other hand to rub his back comfortingly.

Finally, after a few minutes. Joe coughed as he tried to hide any signs that he had been crying. He had always been that kind of guy. Always had to be the 'man'. "I don't think you did it, Miles. I just didn't want to blame myself anymore. If I had just gone to him first…"

"Then Demi might not be here either," I finished for him. He looked up at me meeting my eyes for a quick second before dropping them again. I could tell he had been thinking about it too. "What happened that day, and the people that were hurt because of it wasn't any of our faults. It's just how life goes."

"Nick said the same thing."

I let out a sad smile and squeezed his hand. "Well, he's a smart guy."

Finally Joe looked up and gave me a reassuring smile. "I think I should get going. I'm supposed to be home in like 10 minutes… and your parents over there are giving us a death stare," he explained with a small smirk. He stood up and put on his coat as I stood up right after him. "So I'll see you later?"

As he was about to turn around and walk out, I grabbed his arm gently causing him to look back at me. "One more thing, Joe. When I said that it was no one's fault, I meant it. Don't blame Demi either… I don't want to see her hurt anymore," I explained. Joe gave me a long look before nodding slowly. He raised a hand to wave goodbye, and I watched him push the double doors and make his way onto the crowded streets.

I turned back around and walked towards my table where my parents were waiting with half eaten pizza on their plate. They looked a little worried as I took my seat. "That was a really long talk you had with that boy. Your food is already cold," Mom explained.

I turned towards the glass doors that Joe had just left in, and smiled. "It was worth it."

* * *

_**April 28th, 2010 (1:25 A.M) **__** {Present- Day}**_

"Hey," I smiled as I picked up the phone to hear Nick's voice on the other end. I eyed the clock that was flashing the numbers, 1: 25 A.M. "What's with this late call?"

"Couldn't sleep," he answered casually.

"And you were willing to wake me up from my beauty sleep because you couldn't find your own?" I smirked as I settled on my bed stomach down.

"Of course I wouldn't, but I know for a fact that you were awake."

I raised an eyebrow even though I knew he couldn't see me from the phone. "And how do you know that?"

He stayed silent for a few seconds. I was about to end the call thinking that he had hung up, but a small tap on my window stopped me. I pulled myself up to a sitting position wondering I was just hearing things, but a few seconds later the small tapping noise repeated itself. I stood up cautiously and walked towards the window, not really sure what I was expecting on the other side. I pushed open my curtains, and opened the small rectangular window to see if anyone was there, but as far as I saw, the streets were completely empty.

Suddenly, a sharp object made contact with the side of my head. "Ouch. What the hell?" I mumbled as I cringed and put my hand on top of the aching bruise forming.

"Ooo, sorry. Did that hit you?" Nick's voice carried out from right under my window. I blinked a few times to make sure I was seeing the right things.

"Nick? Did you just attack me with a…" I picked up the small object and placed it on my palm. "A nickel?"

"Well, I originally started with pebbles, but I ran out. It was the only thing I had in my pockets," he explained innocently. I laughed softly and looked further down to see him with his hands stuffed in his pockets.

"What? So you came here to serenade me?" I teased.

"I would, but I really don't want your dad to chase me out with a bat."

"Fair enough," I smiled. "So you're just throwing pebbles at my window."

"Pretty much."

"Awwwww," I laughed. "How Romeo of you."

"The only thing missing is the balcony." He flashed me a huge grin and winked. God. He actually winked.

"Please tell me you did not just wink," I broke out into laughter that echoed through the quiet house. Nick put his finger on his lips indicating me to be quiet even though he was trying to control his own laughter also.

"Shhh. Come out here before you wake your parents up."

"Right now?"

"No, next weekend… YES NOW!" he teased. I smirked at his sarcasm, and turned around to grab a jacket. I tip toed past my parent's room and down the stairs until I finally made my way out of the house. By the time, I got to the front lawn, Nick was nowhere in sight. I blinked a few times wondering if I had just been seeing things until a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind me. He pulled me off the ground and turned me around to face him.

"I missed you," he sighed as he just stared at me.

"I miss you too," I smiled back. "So what have you stopped my beauty sleep for?"

"I don't know yet," he answered smirking. He wrapped his arm around my waist, keeping me close as we walked around the neighborhood just talking and enjoying each other's company. Finally, we stopped at the local park.

"SWINGS!" I grinned as I ran towards the old swing set that had two vacant seats right next to each other. Nick followed laughing behind me. "Shut up," I grinned as I took a seat on one of the swings. I rocked myself back and forth gently, letting my feet graze the ground softly each time. Nick took the seat next to me quietly and just sat there watching me.

"What?" I asked suddenly self- conscious of myself. He twisted his swing so he was facing me.

"Joe told me about what happened tonight," Nick explained slowly.

"Oh," I mumbled, continuing to swing myself back and forth a few inches.

"And I wanted to thank you… Whatever you said to him helped," he smiled a sweet smile that made my heart ache.

"How's your family doing?" I asked remembering how close everyone had been. I had met the Hanson parents once at a charity event at school, and they seemed like perfectly nice people. Their mom as I remember was named Denise, and their dad was named Paul. They were those kind of parents that were just kind to everyone, and would probably welcome into their home if they needed a place to stay. They were good hard- core Christians.

"At first it was hard… really hard," Nick mumbled looking out at the park playground instead of me. "My mom locked herself up in her room. My dad wouldn't even talk to us… No one would talk. It felt like taboo to even mention Kevin's name. Soon, Joe started disappearing at the middle of the night, and he wouldn't come back until the morning after. And he would never tell us where he was going… And eventually, everyone kinda just stopped caring too."

I pushed a strand of hair behind my ear to see him clearer. His face wasn't like it usually was. It had a more gentle look to it, maybe even tragic, and I felt something in chest tighten just from seeing it.

"That's why I've been spending a lot of time at work and going to the warehouse. Home wasn't really home, you know?" I nodded slowly remembering how it had been when I had spent the first two weeks after the shooting at home. My parents couldn't even look at me, let alone talk to me.

"What about now?" I mumbled as I pushed myself up a little higher.

"It's better. Definitely better. Mom went back to almost being an actual mom a few weeks ago. Dad's happy by just seeing Mom getting better, and Joe… Well, after tonight, I think he'll be better. But there's still these moments at home where someone will say something or do something, and it'll just remind us all of Kevin… And it'll feel like we just went backwards again. My mom would just cry and lock herself back up in her room, and my dad would just sit in front of the TV all day, and Joe would disappear… It was like we went back to step one."

Not knowing exactly how to respond, an awkward silence slipped into the conversation. I pumped my feet a little faster as I felt my feet rise of the ground higher and higher with each swing. I feel the warm air blowing against my face as I fly forward and back, forward and back, forward and back. I close my eyes feeling myself fly higher and higher, but it's no use. It's always the same. No matter how far I go forward, I swing back just as hard and fast.

I keep trying anyway.

Nick sits next to me, and I could feel his stare piercing into the side of my head, but I don't care. Instead I just squeeze my hands on the swing's chains and felt as it swing forward one last time. I felt myself let go of the rusting chain as my legs kicked freely in open air.

The next thing I knew, I was on my back after a hard thump, and Nick was screaming my name. I opened my eyes to see him hovering over me with a hand caressing the back of my head. He gives me this look of worry as if wondering whether I was okay or insane, but I just open my sand covered mouth and laugh.

Laugh like I've never laughed before. Until tears are rolling down my cheeks, and I have to hold my stomach together to make sure I don't laugh myself to death. Nick stares at me like he really does think I'm insane, and I just lean forward and kiss him on the cheek. "I need to do that again," I laughed never feeling so good in my life.

Finally, Nick's lips tugged into a huge smile as he began to laugh. He pulled me into his arms and kissed my hair. "You are crazy, Miley Stewart."

I giggled as I pulled away, and sat up in a sitting position. Sand from the playground was all over my hair, my arms, my legs, my clothes, my face, but I didn't care. I just pushed my loose sandy waves of hair out of my face, and brought my knees up until it touched my chin. "I'm just tired of being sad."

Nick sat down next to me and wrapped a secure arm around my shoulders as we watched the now vacant swing set we had just been sitting on rock back and forth alone.

"I know," he whispered.


	15. Chapter 14: The Truths About Re Do's

_**A/N: I know I said I was going to upload this last night, but there were complications with my laptop being confiscated by my dad. Hahaa. So here's the chapter. And I know a lot of you are questioning about who Taylor Sumner is, and don't worry. Right now, it's supposed to leave a huge question mark on your head. For all you know, it may either be a girl or a boy. By the next chapter, I'll reveal a bit more about her. He/She is a big basis of the story.**_

**_Next chapter might take a day or two. Sorry I haven't really started yet, but I'll get on it ASAP. THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! I JUST HIT 100! That's faster than my last story, Picture Perfect. I just keep getting more and more with each chapter. I love you guys so much. Your reviews really make my day. :) _**

**_

* * *

January 15th, 2010 (5: 56 P.M.)_**

_"Liam," I called out as I waited on the bleachers. He had some huge last practice before their first game in a few days, and he insisted that I stayed and cheered him on. He took off his yellow mouth piece and looked up at me with a huge grin. I shut my mouth and drew back my complaint and just gave him a thumbs up. He loved this game way too much._

_"God, when is this practice going to be over," Selena groaned next to me. She was still in her lacrosse uniform from her earlier practice and was not waiting with me to walk home. Her hair was tied back in a slick ponytail, and even through all the running she had just done on the field, she still looked like she was ready to walk a runway._

_"Tell me about it. This is probably the 4th one I've had to sit through this week," I mumbled next to her. I pulled my sweater closer to my body hoping for some more heat, but it still didn't stop the goosebumps from forming on my arm. It might have been turning summer, but the weather just seemed to be getting colder and colder._

_"Why are you going to all these stupid things anyway, Miles? With weather like this, I'm surprised you still have all your fingers and toes," she laughed eyeing as I tried pulling my sweater even closer to my body._

_"Well, Liam's going to be really busy after this week, and this is the last few times we'll get to be together," I explained while trying to keep the hurt out of my voice._

_"Right. Isn't he going on some big football tour thing around state for the next week?"_

_"Don't remind me," I mumbled realizing how much we would be missing out on each other. For the past year together, most people would even call us inseparable. Every waking moment, it always felt like Liam was next to me or I was next to him. Him being there became a comfort, almost like an expectation…_

_And because of the fact that he was boosted up to the spot as quarterback, he would be spending more time at practices and games. Now, there were more people out there than me that was depending on him._

_"Do you want to talk about it?" Selena asked in a worried tone. "You just seem kinda upset about it."_

_"What's to be upset about? I mean, Liam's just going to be leaving for the next few weeks. We're never going to see each other. No big deal," I mumbled sarcastically. Instead of laughing or smiling or giving any sign of taking the joke, Selena just sat next to me in silence as if waiting for me to give my real answer. She just knew me too well._

_"I'm scared that we're going to drift apart these next few weeks," I finally sighed. "Like during the time that we're apart he's going to realize that he's completely fine without me. Or that I'll realize that I'm completely fine without him… And I don't want that… I want him."_

_"Don't worry. A few weeks isn't going to be too bad. And I'll be here to keep you company," Selena smiled encouragingly as she wrapped a friendly arm around my shoulders. I was biting my lip trying to figure out and categorize all the different emotions mixing together in my chest, but it was just too much of a mess to figure out._

_"Thanks. I guess I'm just confused… scared even," I mumbled as I leaned my head on my best friend's shoulder. "And long distance usually doesn't work out when the guy hates using the phone because he somehow thinks it's a waste of his time," I mocked remembering Liam's strange reasoning for hating cellphones and even just phones in general. Selena chuckled softly next to me._

_"God. My brother… What am I going to do with him?" she mumbled as we watched him run across the field to make another perfect catch. Even though I couldn't see his full face because of his helmet, I knew it was him. It wasn't only the numbered jersey; 15, my favorite number, but it was just the way that he carried himself. It wasn't exactly arrogance, but more of a strong confidence. Like he couldn't find a single fault in his life. Like nothing could ever go wrong._

_Finally, I pulled away and straightened myself up from Selena's shoulder. I wiped away a stray tear that had accidentally escaped before Selena could see, and focused my attention to my boyfriend as he made another 10 yards without making it look like an effort._

_"You can go, Sel," I tried to smile as I watched her shiver in her shorts from lacrosse practice. She also hadn't been wearing a jacket, and I wondered to myself why I hadn't even noticed earlier. "Practice isn't going to end for another hour or so. I'll just see you later. I'll have Liam drop me off at the house if you want to hang out later."_

_As if debating with herself for a few moments, Selena sat there in silence. Finally, she sighed in defeat knowing that her shorts and short sleeved t- shirt wasn't going to protect her for very much longer. "Fine, but we'll talk later. I love playing therapist," she laughed as she picked up her duffel bag and lacrosse equipment. She took one last look at Liam on the field before leaning over to give me a quick hug goodbye. "Make sure my brother comes home alive after practice," she laughed._

_"Will do," I laughed as I watched her walk off the bleachers and out of the field exit._

_"Hey," someone greeted just a few seconds later as my second visitor slipped onto the same seat Selena had just occupied._

_"Hey," I nodded back at Liam's best friend, Nick Hanson. "Why aren't you playing?"_

_"Leg," he motioned towards the cast neatly wrapped from his knee to his ankle._

_"Right," I mumbled embarrassed. "I could have figured that out."_

_He chuckled easily behind me. "So, how are you? We haven't talked in awhile."_

_"That's because we don't really talk much in general," I smirked looking at him. He smirked back and hugged his black leather jacket, which I swore he wore everywhere, tighter around him._

_"So, I saw you and that AV kid after school together. What was that about?" Nick asked, not really suspiciously but more in an '' kinda way. It was actually kind of cute._

_"Nothing," I said a little too quickly. He raised an eyebrow causing me to sigh. "He was helping me on my final project for cinematography. By the way, tip, never take that class. EVER. The teacher will eat you alive."_

_Nick grinned. "Been there, done that."_

_"Seriously?"_

_He shrugged. "Nah. Just always thought it'd be cool to say that."_

_I punched him on the shoulder laughing as a cheer erupted on the field. I watched as Liam jogged down with his hands up in the air and the football grasped on one high hand. All his teammates were slapping him on the back if not jumping on him._

_"Liam was created for this game," Nick laughed. I smiled and nodded understandingly. "He's been in love with it since we were kids."_

_I looked down with a sad smile. "Sometimes I wonder if he loves it more than me," I whispered almost to myself, but Nick had picked it up._

_"No," he shook his head. "Don't even think of it that way, Miles."_

_I knew that Liam loved me, but recently I was just doubting how much. He had been spending less time with me and more with practice or games. Or even when we did hang out, half the time all we talked about was football. He was about to graduate. For his whole life, he planned on taking a football scholarship to ride on towards college. And now he had one. For a school 5,000 miles away from me._

_"So isn't your second anniversary coming up? The poor guy wouldn't shut up about it," Nick laughed, running a hand through his messy array of curls._

_"Yeah, actually. I completely forgot," I bit my lip. It hadn't even crossed my mind. "I can't believe I forgot," I broke into a whisper. Luckily, Nick hadn't heard._

_"So. Is he taking you out on some huge fany romantic evening. The stars, a walk on the beach, candle lit dinner, the whole package?" he grinned. I laughed remembering that Nick basically just described what he had done on last year's anniversary._

_"Nah. I hope not," I laughed. "Been there done that, and I mean it." I gave him a teasing look, and he just grinned, leaning back into his seat casually. "I guess, all I really want, is to just sit somewhere, anywhere actually, where it's just the two of us. Somewhere far from everywhere else. I'd just kick my shoes off and relax. Like there was nothing left except that place and us."_

_Nick nodded next to me, and I wondered if he was even paying attention. "So," I continued. "What about you? Do you have someone special in your life?" I nudged him with my elbow playfully. A teasing smirk grew on his face as he shook his head._

_"You will never know."_

_"C'mon, Nick. I told you my deepest dream," I snickered. "The least you could tell me is if you're single or not. I mean, I saw you flirting with Emily at the mall one day. What about her?"_

_He seemed confused for a second as he sat there rummaging through his head for any explanation of what I was talking about. Finally, his mouth opened in a small 'O'. "No, no. Nothing like that. Amy was my partner for something for Bio last semester. How did you eve—"_

_"Nevermind," I blushed remembering how we had been watching him from across the food court that day. "But why do you seem so, I don't know, disgusted by the fact that I thought you were with Emily?" I laughed._

_He shifted in his seat as if uncomfortable with the question, which only amused me more. "Um. I guess you can say she's not really my type. A little too—"_

_"Slutty? You can say it," I giggled. He smirked for a second as he sent me a look of amusement._

_"Yeah. Something along those lines."_

_"So then, what is your type?"_

_"You will never know."_

_I slapped him on the shoulder playfully and couldn't help but giggle. "Shut up. Just tell me."_

_He seemed to reconsider this for a second, letting the question settle in his brain. "I don't really have a type, I guess. I feel like I'll just know when I do meet her. Like, I'll just get these little signs in my head saying, 'Her. She's the one… Do you know what I'm talking about?"_

_A soft grin was spreading across my face as I understood completely. A swift breeze passed causing his curls to blow off his forehead smoothly, bringing my attention to his deep chocolate brown eyes. I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed them before._

_"Your eyes are amazing, you know that?" I accidentally whispered out loud. And by reflex, I clamped my hand over my mouth in disbelief that I had actually said that in front of him. Nick's face crumpled in confusion before finally breaking into a grin._

_"Thank you," he laughed. "I think."_

_Flushed, I opened my mouth to say something else to take back my stupidity, but Liam's shouts caught both of our attentions._

_"Babe! I'm just going to take a quick shower. See you at the car in 10 minutes?" he called out, already jogging away before I could answer. Sighing, I picked up my messenger bag and dusted myself off. Nick hobbled up next to me._

_"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" I asked, eyeing him clumsily clutch onto his crutches._

_"I'm sure I'll be fine," he smiled encouragingly. Right before he turned around, he looked at me one more time with those chocolate brown eyes and I felt something in my chest tighten from just looking at them. "It was nice talking to you, Miles. We should do it more often."_

_

* * *

**April 30th, 2010 (10: 27 A.M.) **** {Present- Day}**_

I trudged up the weary stone steps of Gregory High School, lost in thought about everything that had happened yesterday. I had just gotten out of art class, and to my relief Patrick hadn't even showed up to homeroom. Even from the relief of knowing that he wasn't at school to harm me, I still couldn't shake this strange feeling from me; paranoid, maybe even a little guilt. There were rumors going around that he had been seen in the alleys dealing drugs, some say he was seen hanging around the graveyard at night, some even say they swear they saw him in the back of a police car. Honestly, I couldn't tell which were true and which weren't, but I was just relieved that he hadn't been following me recently. The sores and bruises from his kick were still a deep shade of purple and extremely visible.

Luckily, I had been able to sneak into my house that night without having my parents see me. Going up the stairs with my back was hell, but it was worth it. I knew my parents would just go on a rampage about what happened to me. Mom seemed happier, which made Dad seem happier. Things were actually going back to normal… for them. I mean, I was happy that things were going great with Selena, Nick, Joe, and even Demi, but something was still bugging me. I felt like I was still doing something wrong, and I wasn't allowed to figure out what.

But still, I managed to keep up a pretty believable smile every now and then to keep them from worrying. What my problems were at the moment, where MY problems. Getting them mixed in would only complicate it further.

"Hey. What's on your mind?" Nick asked as he fell into step beside me. His raven- black curls were tamed today, and of course, he had his black jacket on.

"Um, nothing. Just finals coming up," I quickly made up an excuse. Part of it was true though. Finals were stressing me out, especially since a lot of my time was too busy wondering what Patrick would do next. Or sometimes just thinking about how, when, and why my life had gotten so tangled into lies.

"Same," he shrugged. "So you got home okay last night?"

"Well, you kinda did walk me all the way to my doorstep," I laughed, nudging him softly. He smiled and stuffed his hands in his jeans pockets.

"Right... Well, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out after work. We get out early today because of some party Mr. Opal wants to go to."

"Yeah, I heard. Doesn't trust us alone with the place," I laughed. Finally, seeing how nervous he was, I stepped closer so that our arms grazed each other. "What's the big deal? We always hang out after work."

He stuffed in his hands in his pockets farther before shrugging innocently. The small action caused a few curls to fall onto his forehead, and I was so tempted to push them back. "I know," he mumbled nervously. "But since we're kind of together now, I thought we could go on an official date."

"And we're not going to just be sitting around the food court stalking people?" I giggled, trying to calm the cartwheels going on in my chest.

"Nah. I'll even do something romantic if you get lucky," he smirked.

"I'll keep my fingers crossed," I finally smiled, wrapping my hand into his. Despite the stares and whispers we got from people watching, Nick just looked down at our joined hands and smiled.

"So I'm guessing that's a yes."

"Just maybe," I laughed, leaning my head on his shoulder as we made our way to 4th period.

* * *

_**April 30th, 2010 (7: 10 P.M.) {Present- Day}**_

"CLOSING TIME. Hurry up," Mr. Opal's rough voice rang out from his small office. Sighing, I finished up with the last customer and managed my last 'haveagreatday' smile, before closing the register and picking up my stuff from under the counter table.

"Hey," Nick smiled, and I jumped back surprised the moment my head snapped up to see him standing in front of me.

"Hey," I mumbled back, my hand placed over my heart. "You scared me."

"I noticed. You've been kinda jumpy recently. You okay?" he asked, leaning over the register counter to place a gentle hand on my arm. I shook it away, and managed to flash him an encouraging smile.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"If you say so," Nick said, even though I could tell he was worried. I leaned forward and gave him a short peck on the lips before pulling away to put on my coat. "So are you ready?"

"Yeah… I will be… in an hour," I raised an eyebrow as I walked out of the store.

"Wait. What about our date?"

"Yes. We have a date," I repeated, not knowing where this conversation was heading.

"I thought it was tonight."

"Nick," I laughed realizing why he was so confused. "It's a date. I have to go home and get ready first."

I walked around the counter and prepared to go home, but before I could get anywhere, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer. "But you already look beautiful the way you are now."

Feeling a smile tug at the corners of my lips, I leaned forward and kissed him again. "Thank you, but no. It's a girl thing."

He dropped his shoulders in defeat knowing that he probably wouldn't be able to win this fight. "Fine. But at least let me drive you home."

"Don't worry. I live like a few blocks away. I can make it without breaking a heel or something," I teased remembering what he had used as an excuse with the security guard last night. I glanced up surprised to see that he wasn't laughing. Instead, his face was set as stone; no humor or sarcasm left. "What's wrong?" I asked, softly placing a hand on the side of his face.

"It's just that… I don't want you to be alone right now…. Not after what happened last night," he mumbled slowly as if worried that I would be upset. The small hint of protectiveness in his voice made me feel special, and I flashed him a small smile to show that I wasn't angry, but actually flattered instead.

"I'm pretty sure the stairs won't be able to harm me at the sidewalk," I explained while trying to match it up with my lies from last night. I knew that Nick didn't believe it at all, but he also knew not to push me, so all he did was simply shrug. "I promise I'll be careful. And if I see any stairs chasing after me tonight, I'll make sure to call you. Okay?" I laughed, trying to ease the mood. "So pick me up at 8?" I finally asked, biting my lip. I didn't want to go on this date with him worried or upset, but I had some things to do on my own.

"It's a date," he finally grinned before leaning down to kiss me again. I pulled away from his grasp and skipped out the door giggling. He watched me go with a disappointed but amused look on his face as he broke out in a smirk. "You are such a tease, Miles."

"I know!" I called back.

I kept my eyes at the concrete floor, counting the cracks along the way until I reached my destination. I looked up to see the looming Victorian House that I once used to be able to call my second home. I walked up the smooth brick steps, and remembered all the times I would skip up them after school or on the weekends. I passed by the front lawn where I would just lie down on and watch the clouds. I finally took my step towards the front porch, letting memories of my very first kiss enter my mind.

Shaking, I rang the doorbell half hoping that someone was home, yet also half dreading it either. I stuffed my hands deeper in my jacket pockets nervously even though I wasn't cold. I looked around wondering whether I had enough time to run back to the sidewalk, and forget that I had even thought about coming here, but before my mind could take the time to process, the front door opened slowly.

"Miley?" Selena asked surprised as she opened the door in only her sleeping t-shirt and pajama shorts. Her hair was tied up in a messy bun, and I could easily tell she was ready for bed. I instantly shifted uncomfortably.

"Hi, Sel," I mumbled, not really sure where I was going with this. It had just felt like an impulse to come here.

"What are you doing here?" she asked confused.

"I'm sorry about what I said before. It's not what you think. It's not because I don't want to be friends. It's just… complicated."

She leaned onto the wooden frame of the doorway and crossed her arms in front of her awkwardly. "It's fine," she mumbled. "You're probably not going to explain why to me, huh?"

I smiled a little. "Maybe eventually."

She smiled a little too, and turned back around as a few voices erupted from inside. Finally she turned back to me. "So what are you doing here? I'm pretty sure you didn't just come to say sorry."

I bit my lip knowing how weird this was going to sound, but I said it anyway. "I have a date tonight, and I really have no idea what I'm supposed to do… I remember when I first went with Liam ,and you helped me and it was perfect and I was just wondering if you could—" I started to ramble, but Selena had already pulled me inside and up the stairs to her room. She locked the door and turned around to face me.

"Okay, we're going to need to fix the hair, and do a bit of eye make- up… Hm… And a dress! Red is the perfect color. I have the perfect heels to go with it," Selena said quickly, getting into full best friend make- over mode. I laughed as I took a seat in a chair across the room and remembering how the first time I had been here, I was getting it done for another date. My first one.

Selena disappeared into her enormous walk- in closet that was probably bigger than my own bedroom, and a few minutes later came out with a short red mini dress that by first glance, I could tell would fit me perfectly.

"Now this will make your date pee in his pants," she grinned wickedly as she threw it on the bed and shuffled with my hair. I laughed and looked up at her.

"So I'm guessing you forgave me?"

"What's there to forgive? Nothing really happened. You kinda just went all weird at me at the mall, and right now, weird is my new normal. I was just waiting for you to come around eventually. Me and Demi were actually making bets. You came a little earlier than I expected. Damn."

I grinned. "Seriously?"

Selena smiled and turned me around to face the mirror. "Shush. I have to work on your hair, and I don't want you swiveling your head around so much. This is an art."

I smiled amused as she held a blow dryer in one hand, hair spray in the other, and several bobby pins in her mouth. As she moved onto my make- up, she mumbled out, "So who's the lucky guy?"

"Um," I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. "Nick Hanson," I mumbled under my breath hoping she didn't really hear.

"WAIT," Selena stopped me and turned me around to face her. Her eyes were wide with shock. "Did you just say Nick Hanson? As in Joe's brother Nick Hanson? As in Mr. Nick Hanson? As in-"

"Yes, Sel. THAT Nick Hanson," I cut her off. "Also as in Liam's best friend Nick Hanson…"

Selena finally understood why I had been so uncomfortable with it as she took a seat across from me. "Miley. Liam would—"

"Want me to be happy," I finished for her. "I've already gotten the whole speech… multiple times actually."

"I'm just saying that you shouldn't feel guilty for falling for a guy like Nick. Liam obviously loved him as his best friend," she smiled encouragingly. "But seriously? Nick Hanson? Out of all the guys?" she smirked to herself as if she were truly amused.

"What?" I asked curious on why even the idea seemed to amuse her.

"It's just that… I guess I never saw him as your type, or you as his," she explained before breaking into laughter. "God. Nick Hanson. I almost thought he was gay. He's never had a girlfriend before you. Did you know that?"

"Really?" I blushed even though I wasn't really that surprised. In the years we had gone to school together, I had always seem him talking to girls, but that was it. Nothing more. Just innocent talk.

Selena smiled as her laugh leveled down. "You seem happy. And I give you my best friend approval," she smirked as she brought her hands back to reach for the blush sitting on her bedroom table.

"He's amazing, Sel. He's sweet, and romantic, and caring, and I think I love him. I've never felt this way before…"

I stopped realizing what my words meant. I loved Liam, but something was different with Nick. This time going into the relationship, I actually felt like I knew what I was doing, yet at the same time I didn't. With Liam, everything was still new with me. The rush and love I felt was basically just the idea of being in a relationship with a guy like Liam; popular, smart, handsome. With Nick, he was all those things, but deep inside me, I knew even if he had lost all those traits, I wouldn't even care.

She smiled sadly and took a step back looking at me from head to toe, almost like how a mother would look at her child when she one day realizes that she wasn't the baby she had rocked in her arms just a few years ago.

"Finished."


	16. Ch 15: The Truths About Evidence

_**April 30th, 2010 {8:00 P.M.}**__** {Present- Day}**_

"Hi," Nick mumbled as I opened the door. I could feel his eyes graze over me from head to toe, but it wasn't in a wrong way. It made feel the exact opposite; like I was the most beautiful thing on earth. He made me feel special.

"Hi," I smiled back nervously as I tugged the red mini- dress down. I wasn't really used to wearing such short and 'sexy' (as Selena had called it) clothing. All I ever needed were a pair of jeans, a t- shirt, and my Converse sneakers, and I was happy. Tonight, I felt like a change. The crimson colored mini- dress hugged my body tightly in all the right places. It wrapped around my hips perfectly, and even accented the length of my legs. My chestnut waves cascaded down to the base of my shoulders in small waves, and my bangs had been pinned to the side to show off my gray- blue eyes in contrast to my porcelain skin.

"You look beautiful," he sighed as he took my hand into his. He leaned forward slightly to give me a kiss on the cheek, and I couldn't help but blush. We had hung out so many times before tonight, but there was nothing official about it. It always just felt like two friends hanging out. But today, Today was the day that I would really get to know Nick Hanson.

"Thank you," I smiled. "You look, um, great too," I laughed as I eyed his regular black jacket with jeans. It was what he had been wearing from work, but I could also tell that he had brushed his messy locks of curls. It wasn't exactly 'neat', but I could tell he tried. "It's very… you."

"I'll take that as a compliment. So are you ready to go?"

"Yeah. Pretty much," I mumbled, looking around to make sure I wasn't forgetting something. "I hope I'm not overdressed."

Nick smiled and leaned forward to kiss the side of my head with the most gentle touch. I felt him place his hand softly at the base of my back as he led me to his car. "No, Miles. You look beautiful."

Although he had already mentioned the compliment before, I still felt my face blush. I slipped into the leather seats of his vintage mustang trying to forget the fact that the last time I had been in here, I had been attacked by Patrick. I shivered as I pushed the idea away, and just took a deep breath. This was a date. I was supposed to be enjoying it.

"So where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," he smirked. "I would have blind- folded you, but it felt too cheesy."

"Yes. It would have," I laughed trying to figure out where we were going from our surroundings. As far as I knew, it was all forest like. "Plus, I probably wouldn't have let you blindfold me. As far as I know, you could have sneaked me up to an alley to meet up with some Russian mafia."

"First of all, they hardly exist now. And secondly, I am hurt that you would even think I would," he gasped, mock- hurt. I laughed softly, and leaned my head on his shoulder for the remainder of the ride. Finally, we drove the car to the side of the road and parked.

"Um… Well there goes the whole romantic dinner and movie idea," I said as I eyed our surroundings. It was all natural. Trees, bushes, and all that stuff. I looked down at my heels and mini dress and suddenly felt out of place."Where are we?"

"Shhh. It's a surprise." He grabbed my hand and led me down the worn dirt path. Finally, we stopped at a clearing as a crystal blue lake came into view. Under the bright shine of the moon, the lake's water almost seemed to shimmer. It was absolutely breath-taking.

There was a small dock where a large blanket had been laid out. On it, I could tell was a simple picnic basket. "Oh my god," I gasped out as I followed him towards the dock where we would be staying. I looked around and admired the simple forest that surrounded us almost like a barrier, and felt myself relax at how comfortably I easily felt. I slipped my heels off and threw them to a safe square foot of grass, and felt the smooth blades of grass press against my toes.

"I found this place a few years ago with my brothers. I go here once in awhile to think," he smiled as he saw my awe- struck face. He sat down on the picnic blanket across from me.

"I love it. It's so surreal. Almost like I'm in a dream," I smiled softly watching the lake shimmer around me silently. The night air was pure silence except for the sound of leaves shuffling or crickets making their music of the night. It was relaxing. "So I'm guessing the whole romantic dinner, walk under the stars thing wasn't your type of thing?"

"Yeah," he shrugged before a small grin spread across his face. "But I also know it isn't yours either."

"What?"

"You told me, a few years ago. We were at the bleachers during a football practice, and you told me that you didn't care about fancy presents or expensive dinners. You just wanted a place where you could relax and just talk. Somewhere where it was just the two of us," he explained in a gentle tone. He stopped as he saw my mouth which had formed a surprised 'O'. "Sorry. You probably don't remember."

I took his hands into mine and squeezed it laughing. "No. I do remember. I just can't believe you had after all these years… I didn't even think you were listening."I looked at him in complete amazement. He had actually remembered. Liam couldn't even remember our plans sometimes.

"Well, I was," he grinned. I leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek, but he had shifted his head so that my lips met his. I giggled through the kiss and pushed away blushing. Nick smiled softly.

"You make me go crazy, you know that?"

I smiled back blushing even a deeper crimson that matched the color of my dress.

"So," I finally asked. "What did you pack?"

He looked over to his picnic basket, and started taking out small containers out. I was surprised at how much food he had brought. "Wow. Did you make all of this?"

"Yup. Another fact you don't know about me. I'm an excellent cook. My mom always thought it was a necessary essential for us growing up To be a gentleman and all that stuff," he explained.

"JOE can cook?" I asked baffled. Even just the idea of him in an apron and a frying pan made me want to roll over and die of laughter.

"NO," Nick mumbled. "Mom gave up on him. Kevin and I were getting pretty good though."

I shifted awwardly from the mention of Kevin and brought my attention back to the picnic basket. "How very Red Riding Hood of you," I teased.

"Don't judge. It was either this or you helped me carry it from the car," he laughed.

"Fine," I mumbled back. I looked over the different choices for food and picked up a container filled with angel hair pasta. "You are amazing," I grinned as I opened the container hungrily.

"I'm guessing you're a fan of pasta?"

"NO. Correction. I'm a fan of your pasta. This looks exactly like the one you brought to the school pot luck last year. It is, right?"

He grinned and nodded as he opened his own container. After we had finished eating, I stood up to go to the edge of the dock and sat down, letting my feet graze the water. I watched as the small contact sent ripples flowing across the lake in a chain reaction. I heard Nick's footsteps come from behind me as they echoed through the wood. I looked up to see him hovering over me. I patted the seat next to me, and he took it. I blushed realizing how close we were sitting. Just the presence of him next to me sent shivers down my spine.

"I'm really glad I met you," Nick sighed as he intertwined his fingers through mine. "I just wish I had met you earlier. Think about all those years I've wasted…"

"17," I explained to him sarcastically. Despite the fact that I knew he was teasing, I couldn't help but feel something inside of me light up. I looked down at our joined hands and leaned my head on his shoulder. "You know, sometimes I wish I had met you first… instead of Liam."

I stopped realizing what I had just said. It seemed so wrong to say, but it was the truth. I bit my lip wondering what Nick would say.

He didn't say anything.

Instead he just wrapped a protective arm around me and let a calm silence settle in. I glanced up to the star- filled sky and wondered if they had always been that bright. I'm guessing it was from the lack of lights around us. Looking at the cluster of stars scattered across the pitch black sky, my mind easily remembered Liam and his constellation drawings. I expected a flow of sadness to come to me from remembering something about him, but nothing came. It just felt… okay.

Finally, I turned towards Nick. "What about we play that game where we trade facts about us."

"Sure," he shrugged casually. "Favorite actor?"

I grinned. "Easy one. Johnny Depp." I fanned myself teasingly. Nick smirked and nodded at me to ask him a question.

"Same question for you."

"Scarlett Johansson," he smiled playfully. I slapped him on the shoulder and waited for his next question.

"Favorite author?"

"Bronte sisters. I can't choose between the two."

"Okay. Ask me a question."

"What's your biggest fear?" I asked skipping the more materialistic questions.

"Hm," he though to himself. "I guess it would have to be isolation."

"But you love to be alone!"

"Nah. I just am always alone. But I mean, complete isolation. Like I'm the only person left on earth. No one to talk to, no one to touch, nothing…. What about you?"

I sighed and swung my feet, gliding them through the icy water. "People."

Nick raised a confused eyebrow as he turned towards me. "You're scared of people?"

I shook my head. "No. More like what will happen to them. I'm always worrying about horrible things that can happen. Family troubles, car accidents, death," I choked a little as I said the last word. Nick noticed and squeezed my hand reassuringly. I looked up at him to meet his soft chocolate eyes. "I'm a freak. I know."

"No," he shook his head. "It just means that you care about people a lot, and that, to me, is definitely not a bad thing."

I smiled softly and brought my head back to his shoulder. "Thank you."

"For what?"

I smiled and kissed him on the cheek lightly. "For understanding."

He looked down at me and kissed me softly, his lips barely brushing mine. I could feel his soft curls grazing my forehead, and at the moment everything just felt right. I pulled him towards me as I wrapped my arms around his neck in complete bliss. "I love you," I mumbled and I swiftly pulled away surprised at my words. Nick seemed dazed too as he was taking in the three words that I had just said to him.

It felt like time was frozen as I waited for his answer. "Seriously?" he finally mumbled.

I froze up wondering if I had been to confident in his answer. He didn't love me back. As if seeing the horror and complete embarrassment on my face, his face relaxed a few times as he reached over to place his hands on my shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I'm just really nervous, and I don't really know how to do this stuff. I've never said it to anyone before… well, except my parents, but you know. That's different. Um how… what… um—"

"Nick," I interrupted placing a small hand on his arm. "You're rambling."

"Oh, um, sorry," he ran a hand through his curls. "I'm just really nervous."

I looked at him. "I know. I am too."

"Really?" he stood up, still running his hands through his hair. He was pacing back and forth across the edge of the dock as if lost in thought. "YOU'RE nervous? But you look so calm. How do you look so calm?"

I was about to laugh at how nervous he was, but the anticipation of whether he was going to say it back held it back. "I'm just good at hiding it?" I shrugged. "Nick. Just say it… or don't say it. I just wanted you to know how I felt." Even though it was a complete lie. I desperately wanted him to say it back, or else I would have felt so stupid.

"I'm happy you said it. Don't get me wrong. I'm REALLY REALLLY REALLY happy you said it. I just can't get the words to come out of my mouth."

"Three words Nick," I explained again. "Not that hard."

He took a deep sigh and stopped right in front of me. "I lo—"

His voice was cut off as he lost his balance and fell backwards into the lake. I gasped and got up on my knees as I saw his head break onto the surface. I reached my hand out to help him up, and he took it instantly. Thanks to my lack of upper body strength, his pull on my hand only caused me to fall forward and topple face forward into the water with him.

Pressure filled my ears as I plunged into the ice cold lake. I kicked my legs furiously as I tried to get air, but the weight of the necklaces around my neck pulled me down. I thrashed around with my arms, trying my best to ignore the stinging of the ice cold water that was piercing my skin like needles. My lungs were burning like fire, and for a second a flash of death passed my eyes. _This was it_, I thought.

Finally, a hand grabbed onto my arm and pulled until my head broke through the water's surface. I gasped a deep breath and felt Nick's arms wrap around me instantly. "Are you okay?" he gasped as he helped me up. I buried my face into his neck and tried to control my breathing.

"I don't know."

I wrapped my arms around his neck even tighter as I felt him try to swim back to the dock. It was probably extremely difficult accounting that he had to try to swim and hold me at the same time, but he managed to do it. He pushed me up on the dock and I gasped for breath as I sprawled on my back the minute I touched a hard surface.

Nick followed as he slid on his back on the surface next to me. I could hear him gaping for breath as he placed his hands above his lungs. I coughed up a bit of water before finally relaxing on the dock back- first. From the corner of my eye I watched as Nick stood up and grabbed his leather jacket that he had taken off earlier. He walked back and I sat up slowly as he wrapped the jacket around my shaking shoulders. I was freezing. The water from the lake was still all over me, and I felt like I had just sat in a freezer for the last few hours. I looked over to Nick to tell him that he should use his sweater, but he had already gone on his back and closed his eyes.

He looked like he had fallen asleep. Not wanting to disturb him, I just copied his own stance and lay myself on my back with his black jacket wrapped warmly around me. We let the silence sink it, not knowing exactly what to say.

Finally, Nick's small laugh broke through the air. I looked over at him to see a small smile growing on his lips. "Now we're even."

"What?" I asked, turning my head to face him. Maybe I wasn't the only insane one after all.

"From near death experiences," he laughed again. "You jumped off a swing, I jumped into a lake. We're even."

Finally understanding, I broke into a small smile. "This isn't funny. I almost died out there, Nick," I tried to say seriously even though I couldn't help but keep a smile. A few minutes ago the whole thing had feel so scary, but now I just felt a rush of excitement that it had actually just happened.

"Sorry about that. That was a nice dress," he grinned.

"It was Selena's," I explained.

"Tell her I said sorry about that too."

Laughing, I nodded. We were both still lying on the docks on our backs when I felt Nick's hand find mine. "Miley…"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

I smiled letting his words sink in. "I'm sorry it took so long," he continued. "I've never said it to another girl before."

"Thanks," I mumbled staring up at the stars.

"For what?"

"For loving me."

* * *

**_February 10th, 2010 {2:45 P.M.)_**

_I was scrolling down my homepage on facebook in Selena's room while she painted her nails on her bed. She had one leg tucked under her and her attention was fully focused on the strawberry pink nail polish she was applying to her toes. "Anything new online?" Selena asked without looking up._

_"Nope. Unless you count Sarah Tomson getting a belly ring news," I laughed as I scrolled down the page._

_Selena scrunched up her nose and shook her head. Finally, she looked up after she finished and looked at me. "What are you doing here?"_

_"I mean that in a good way," she laughed. "I mean, did we have plans today?"_

_"Not that I know of. Liam and I were supposed to hang out, but all he wants to do is do his weights, and I rather not waste the hour watching him build up sweat."_

_"Ew," Selena whispered as she sat up on the bed and took the laptop from me. "Let's go check what's up on OceanUP." She typed in the webpage and the blue site popped up with new headings about teen celebrities. Though this stuff interested Selena a lot, it wasn't really my thing. I pushed myself up and ran a hand through my hair._

_"I'm going to go back to Liam. Maybe he's done."_

_Selena snorted. "Knowing my brother, he's not. But who knows. I have to leave for a jog in a few minutes anyway."_

_"You just painted your toes," I reminded her._

_"Oh yeah," she mumbled. "Oh well. I'll just do them again if they mess up."_

_She turned her attention back to the laptop screen right after giving me a wave goodbye. Smiling, I walked down one door until I reached Liam's room. Like usual, the Killers were blasting from his stereo, but he wasn't in the room. He must have gone to use the bathroom._

_I threw myself on the bed and took in his familiar scent. The room was exactly how it had been since the last two years I had known him. Pretty average with a stereo in the corner, his desk and laptop pushed next to the window, and his bed to the far left. And of course, his exercise equipment at the other corner of the room._

_My stare was broken from a vibrating on his bedside table. I reached over and picked up his blackberry to find he had just gotten 2 new texts. Curiously, I opened both of them. The first name was familiar; Nick Hanson. He had sent him a text about hanging out sometime tomorrow before the game. Nick had just recently replied a quick, ya. 4sure. _

_I scrolled down at the second text and didn't recognize the second name; Taylor Sumner. I scanned down their history and found series of texts that had started a few weeks ago. It was all pretty innocent texts about school and family, but I still felt a gut feeling in my chest. Why didn't I know this person? I stopped at the most recent text that she had sent and felt my whole body freeze._

_Ya. I'll seen you then. I miss u. :)_

_"Miley?" Liam walked in with a towel around his shoulders. "What are you doing?"_

_"Oh, um," I stuttered not knowing what to say. "I just called my mom."_

_"Oh," he shrugged as he reached for his phone. Luckily, I had exited from his texts. I could easily tell he was reading his texts from the way his eyes scanned across the screen. One moment, he smiled, and another moment he nodded to himself. I was beginning to wonder which one was for which text._

_"I love you," I whispered as I sat down next to him._

_He looked at me and smiled. "Love you too."_

_And even though I knew he meant it, I couldn't shake the disturbing feeling of seeing that name and text on his phone, Taylor Sumner… And the realization that maybe 'I love you' just wasn't enough anymore._

_

* * *

**April 30th, 2010 (10: 35 P.M.) **_

As Nick turned the corner to my street to drop me off, the red, blue, and white blaring lights of police cars blinded me for a second. It took me a few moments to realize they were parked right outside my house. I felt my heart drop. "Miley, what's going on?" Nick asked in a worried tone.

"I.. don't know," I mumbled thoroughly confused. He parked a few houses away because the police cars had just taken up so much room. I scanned the street and found one familiar face leaning casually against my doorstep. His eyes were staring right at mine despite the distance. Detective Wilden.

"Do you want me to come with you?"

"No. It's fine," I reassured him as I kissed him on the cheek. "Goodnight. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

He eyes the police cars again, and nodded stiffly. "Just call if you need anything."

I nodded and stepped out of the car trying to keep my composure. The minute I stepped right in front of my house, the police officers stepped out of their cars, but Detective WIlden put his hand up signaling them to get back down. I stiffened in fear and tried to walk towards my doorstep where Detective Wilden was waiting for me.

"Hello, Ms. Stewart. Where were you tonight?"

"On a date," I answered bitterly.

"I'm guessing you went on a swim?" he stated as he eyed my dress which was still dripping with water.

I shook my head and crossed my arms in front of my chest. "It's a long story."

"Oh, Ms. Stewart. It's fine. We're going to have a lot of time together," he smiled. Before I could ask why, he opened the door. "Talk to me inside?"

Instead of arguing, I followed him to the dining room where he took a seat across from me.

"What is this all about?" I asked, not letting a beat pass.

"We just got some results back."

"What kind of results?

"Well you see, coming from a small town like this, we don't have much privileges and advanced equipment to do proper testing. For special cases, we send them to labs in the capital to be tested."

"And what does this have to do with me?"

Detective Wilden stood up and pulled me roughly by the arm. He forcefully jerked one of my arms behind my back before grabbing for the other. I heard the click as he locked a pair of handcuffs around my wrists tightly.

"Miley Ray Stewart, you are under arrest for evidence of your fingerprints found on the used murder weapon. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law."


	17. Chapter 16: The Truths About Support

**_May 1, 2010 (1: 48 A.M.)  {Present- Day}_**

I hugged my knees closer to my chest as I closed my eyes pretending to be somewhere else but here. I was still in the red dress that Selena had lent me, and luckily it had dried out in the last hour or so. Nick's black leather jacket which I had forgotten to return was also around my shaking shoulders; this time, it wasn't because I was cold.

"What we got here?" a woman who I could tell was in her mid 40's stepped up. She was dressed in poor street clothing and a cigarette was hanging out of her mouth. She had two other women who were both also holding cigarettes next to her. Their make- up was way too heavy and they looked like they hadn't had a good night of sleep in a long long time.

"Jackie. She probably don't even pass 18 yet. Look. She still got that virgin look to her eyes. Eh!" they crackled with rough laughter; the effects of smoking all those cigarettes.

I pulled my knees tighter and tried my best to ignore them. There were only seven or eight people in the cell I had been locked up in, and most of them didn't look friendly. I just sat at the farthest corner I could find and kept to myself wishing that it would all just end.

"How old are you girl?" the woman whom I was assuming was named Jackie asked cockily.

I kept my gaze on the floor and counted in my head until I reached 100. It was always my Mom's trick. I felt Jackie's rough calloused hand reach under my chin and jerk my face up to meet hers. "Look at me when I'm talking to you girl. Don't your mama teach you your goddamn manners?" she spit out. I don't know what got to me; maybe it was the scent of her cheap perfume with a mix of alcohol, or maybe all the cigarette smoke she was blowing in my face, or even the fact that she just touched me, I faced her with all the courage I could gather up and shoved her away from me.

"Leave me alone," I said before turning back around, but the other two women who were with her got to me first.

"Listen girl, you don't know the rules round here don't you? It's like them Queens in England. They rule the goddamn place, right? Well, see. I'm the fucking Queen here. Got it?" Jackie stepped closer as the other two women held me back by pulling me on my arms. They had pushed me against the hard concrete walls and I cringed as I felt something hard pierce against my skull.

I bit my tongue trying to control myself as Jackie traced a finger over Selena's dress. "Nice dress you got here, girl. Give it to me."

"Oh. And this jacket too. Probably real leather, huh Jackie? What you think?" one of the women with short cropped poorly dyed hair whispered with a toothy grin. Jackie shrugged.

"Take whatever the hell you want, Mel."

They tried stripping off Nick's jacket, but I trashed around trying to kick them away. They weren't going to get anything. But my restraint only led them to fight back harder. "Bitch. You better—"

"GET AWAY," a deep voice growled behind them. They all snapped their heads around to see a huge woman who was also probably in her early 40's step up from behind them. She had wild frizzy dark brown hair that she had tied back in a loose ponytail. Tattoos spiraled her arms, and I cringed wondering what she wanted to do with me now.

"Janet. C'mon. You've only been here 5 years. You know the rules. This girl's got to pay her dues like the rest of us," Jackie explained trying to keep her cocky smirk, but I could tell she was afraid of this Janet girl.

"I said GET AWAY," she stepped forward with a huge army- like boot causing Jackie and her two assistants to jump.

"Fine, fine. Let's go," she mumbled as she pulled the other two women away. I looked up to meet Janet's heavy gaze, and from where I was sitting on the floor, she looked like a mountain. She was built like one too. Her arms were thick with muscle and the way she walked, you could tell she was heavy.

"Thank you," I mumbled, not really knowing what to say. Her eyes flickered towards me.

"What's your name?" she asked in a softer tone that she had used with the other women.

"Miley," I got out.

"Aren't you a little young to be in a place like this?" Janet asked as she took a seat on the bench across from me.

I looked down at my knotted hands. "I didn't do what they think I did."

"Honey," she laughed. "Half the people here didn't do what they think they did."

I cringed realizing what this could mean. For the next few minutes, I just sat there in my crouched position as she looked back at me as if studying me. I counted the tattoos crawling up her arm, and when I reached 16, I stopped.

"Who's Opal?" I asked as I eyed the tattoo that spelled out Opal in a smooth black inked cursive.

She seemed surprised as I asked the question, and something I couldn't quite read settled in her eyes. "She was my daughter."

I studied her in awe, trying to picture the masculine- like woman in front of me as a mother. At first glance, most people probably wouldn't be able to catch it, but from where I was sitting, and if I stared long enough, you could see the gentleness in her eyes, the gentleness of her touch, the spark of determination hidden in her stance as she carried herself about.

"Well, where is she now? I mean, since you're here and all."

Janet's face softened into a sad smile. She pointed towards the tattoo that spelled her daughter's name, and outlined the angel wings that traced each latter gracefully. Realizing what she meant, I looked down feeling remorse coming to me.

"I'm sorry for your loss," I mumbled. "How old was she?"

Janet looked down at the angel tattoo once more before meeting my eyes. "Today she would be six years old."

"But I thought you've only been here five years… That would mean…"

"The last time I had seen her was when she was one. Yes."

"So she passed away before you went to prison?" I asked confused.

"It was all around the same time period, I guess you can say."  
I stopped, realizing what that could mean.

"You don't have to tell me, but what are you here for?"

"You already figured it out, didn't you?" she said sadly as she brought her hands to her knees. Her tone of voice had gotten so soft as if hearing the words herself hurt her. "I'm here for murdering my baby girl."

I blinked a few times letting her words sink in. "Did you really do it?" I asked cautiously.

"Like I said. Half the people here didn't do what everyone else thinks they did."

I sat up a little straighter. "But if you didn't do it, you shouldn't be here. Why would anyone even harm their baby?"

She sighed a pushed a fallen loose strand of frizzed hair behind her ear. "Life is messed up. You're probably too young to see it right now, but it is. Things don't always work out the way you want it."

I stayed silent for a few moments as I thought about her words. Finally, I looked up and moved closer. "I think you were an amazing mother. I can just tell."

She smiled softly, and for a second she actually looked truly beautiful. She paused as if not sure she wanted to say anything. "You know, she kinda looked like you. It's kind of hard to tell since she was only a baby, but you have the same eyes."

I felt a small smile tug on my lips imagining Opal lying in a crib as she reached her tiny fists out to the world. "Don't worry," Janet whispered as she rubbed the angel tattoo. "Whatever's going on now will pass. You're still young. You have so much time."

I tugged Nick's jacket closer and shrugged, remembering how messed up everything was at the moment. "I doubt it."

"Just wait. It'll come." Janet explained softly. A pair of footsteps caught our attention, and a young officer walked up with keys in his hand. The cell broke out in hoots wondering who was going to be called out next.

"Miley Ray Stewart?" the officer called out as he looked at me. The cell broke out in hoots and curse words again, and I stood up shaking not sure what to do. The officer, noticing my hesitation, explained, "Your parents just paid for your short- term bail before your hearing. They're waiting outside. Let's go."

He took out his keys and unlocked the cell door. But before I turned around to go, I turned towards Janet one more time. "Thanks… again," I mumbled gratefully. "I hope you find your way too. Opal seemed amazing."

She smiled a sad smile as I walked out of the cell and down the hallway following the police officer. I blinked a few times as I saw my parents waiting for me at the end of the hallway.

"Miley!" Mom and Dad gasped as they wrapped their arms around me. "It's going to be okay," they whispered. I let my own arms wrap around them as I returned the hug, but even I knew they were lying.

* * *

_**February 12th, 2010 (9: 10 P.M.)**_

Holding onto Liam's hand, Liam, me, Selena, Demi, Joe, and Nick all entered the party that Emily Robinson had decided to hold for Valentine's Day which was in two days. The whole room cheered and scattered around to let us through, and it was pretty obvious who the source of the party was. I kept a steady hand on Liam as he went around socializing and stopping to give a high- five or a simple hey to whoever came over to say Hi. I watched as Demi and Joe disappeared down the hallway to where the food was probably being kept (knowing Joe), an awkward Nick was now being draped upon by Emily Robinson whose boobs were practically pressing onto his chest, and Selena got pulled into a crowd of giggling wannabe's who occupied themselves to over- complimenting her dress, her shoes, her make- up, her hair, and so on. Liam had gone into the living room where all the music and dancing were happening, dragging me along with him.

"Liam," I pulled on his hand to get his attention as he got into a conversation with someone in his Bio class. He looked down at me quickly and gave an annoyed look for disturbing his conversation. I didn't mean to, but I just didn't want to hear him talking to people I would only feel left out in.

"I'm going to go get some food. You want some?" I mumbled, wanting to get away. The black skinny jeans and flowing white top that Selena had managed to force me into was making me feel uncomfortable even though I didn't have to wear that dress she had insisted on.

Liam's face softened as he leaned down to kiss my forehead. "No. I'm fine. Go have fun, Mi."

I forced a soft smile and let go of his hand to wander through the crowd of every popular person in school. It was wild. Every few corners I turned, there always seemed to be someone making- out, kissing, or ass- grabbing. I smirked to myself wondering if every high school was like this…

Yeah, probably.

I stepped past a pair of seniors who were hungrily groping each other near the closet until I found a pretty quiet spot in the kitchen where no one was really hanging out. I sighed, admiring the silence and took a plastic cup of beer before sitting on the stool.

I didn't really drink that much, but every few parties, I decided too. It gave me something to do while everyone else seemed to be actually enjoying themselves.

A loud banging on the door captured my attention. It must have been coming from down the narrow hallway to the left of the kitchen, and I really wasn't too sure if I should answer it or not. Judging from the fact that Emily Robinson was probably off trying to seduce Nick, poor guy, I slowly made my way towards the dark hallway as the knocks got louder and more frantic.

I gripped the plastic cup filled with beer in my hands tightly as I stepped forward towards the wooden door where the grunts and knocks were erupting from in loud fits.

"Hello?" I asked shakily as I stepped closer to the door, but no one answered. The music from the party must have been too loud for them to hear me. Finally, the knocking stopped and nothing but my heavy breathing and the sound of Lady Gaga filled my ears.

Freaked out, I touched the door- knob slightly before turning it.

When I finally opened the door, I saw Snort crouched down on the floor with his head in his hands. He was dripping from some weird liquid and leaves were stuck all over his clothes. Seeing the light seeping into the dark closet, he looked up to meet my eyes.

From there, I could see the bright red lipstick on his forehead that spelled out SNORT. He looked flushed and embarrassed for me to see him like this, but all I wanted to do right now was help him. I pulled him up to his feet and walked him back to the kitchen without trying to comment on his appearance at the moment.

I took a seat on the long marble counter and watched as Snort took the seat across from me. His eyes seemed dazed off, and there were a few leaves in his hair, but what caught me the most was the crimson red lipstick, the color of blood, smeared on his head.

"God. What happened?" I finally asked.

He shrugged. "Nothing."

I tightened my grip on the plastic cup in my hands, and took another drink. I knew he wouldn't tell me. I've seen him come out of school looking like this, and he would never tell me what happened. Maybe he was afraid? Embarrassed? Maybe he didn't even care enough to tell me.

"Can I have a drink of that?" he asked, pointing to my cup of beer.

I mean, I knew I was underage to be drinking too, but he was younger than me, and it felt wrong. I hesitated for a few seconds, but after looking at him, I knew all he wanted to do was try to have fun and forget what had happened...

Finally, I nodded and handed him my cup which was still pretty filled up to the brim. His eyes widened as he brought it to his lips before taking a long sip. I saw his face scrunch up, and remembering my first taste of it, I knew he thought it was horrible.

But when he pulled back after a long sip, he just took a breath to himself before taking another one. I just sat there watching as his face relaxed with each chug of beer that left the cup and into his mouth.

Finally as he finished the last sip, he set the empty cup down in front of him with a long deep sigh. His eyes shifted to me and I could tell he was already half- drunk even from just one cup. Go figure.

"What are you doing here?" he began to slur his words.

I shrugged not really knowing how to answer the question. "I don't know. Everyone is here."

He stayed silent as if not really knowing how to respond to my answer either. "And what are you doing here?" I asked. "As far as I know, this is a junior, senior party."

"It kinda accidentally happened."

"How does it 'accidentally' happen?"

He stayed quiet and just stared at the cup awkwardly as if he wished it was full again. "We never talk anymore," he mumbled. And it was true. After the cinematography class, I hadn't really had any other reason or chance to talk to him again. I had seen him around school, definitely. But I never found the guts to go up to him.

I just gulped and nodded.

"Maybe we should hang out again sometime?" he asked awkwardly, and I knew if he wasn't half- drunk, he wouldn't even have had the courage to ask that.

Seeing the desperation and hurt from his face from what happened tonight, I just shrugged. "I guess so."

Even though it wasn't completely an answer, he took it anyway. Completely drunk, he lost his balance on the chair and put his hands on the table to steady himself. The small action caused his hand to fall on my arm in a caress.

Suddenly, Liam burst through the door laughing with some people behind him. I snapped my head around quickly to see him turn his head to look at us. I saw anger and hurt flash into his eyes as he stepped up towards Snort and picked him up off his seat from his shirt collar.

"What do you think you're doing here, freshman?"

He shot me a look. "And why the fuck were you touching my girlfriend."

"Liam," I stood up to stop him, but I knew there was nothing I could do once Liam was pissed.

Snort stuttered and stuttered, but no words ever got to get out of his mouth before Liam motioned for one of the guys behind him to open the backyard door. He threw him out into the lawn before slamming the door behind him. I heard people shuffling into the kitchen after hearing about a fight and pressing their faces to the glass of the window to see what was happening.

I sat there frozen, not knowing what to do, but just stand there.

Finally, I ran.

Away.

From everything.

* * *

_**May 2, 2010 (3: 20 P.M.) **__** {Present- Day}**_

I sat around in bed throwing my stuff around and trying to pass time. Apparently, when you were on bail, going outside of the house was illegal since they assumed the first thing you would do was run out of the country. I think for me they forgot the aspect that 1. I'm still 16. 2. I have parents who are guarding the house like dogs. And 3. I have no money.

So here I was lying around my room, not able to go to school, or even just outside to get some fresh air. I was trapped. Nothing to get my mind off the fact that in a few weeks, I would be standing in front of half the town pleading to them why I didn't kill their children.

I paced back and forth again, but it didn't help. It only made me even more frustrated that I had nowhere to go, but only pace back and forth.

The sudden ring of the doorbell broke my stare. Mom hadn't let guests visit in the last few days, or maybe it was because we had no guests. People were avoiding us like a plague. The rumors must have spread pretty fast accounting the fact that I was the main suspect in the shooting that is still currently being talked about.

"I'll get it!" Mom called from downstairs. She had been staying home with me for the last few days to make sure nothing went wrong… Well, what else could go wrong, to be honest.

I heard a whisper of voices downstairs that were probably coming from more than one person. It lasted for about 5 minutes, before I heard my mom give out a long sigh and whisper something else. Finally, I heard a round of heavy footsteps coming up the stairs and I froze on top of my bed wondering if the police had come back for me.

I closed my eyes and counted… 5... 6… 7… 8…

"Miley!" They burst through the door; Demi, Joe, and finally Nick.

"Guys," I half- gasped as I jumped off the bed and into Demi's arms. I hugged my best friend tightly and finally let go to hug Joe. By the time I reached Nick, he just stood there awkwardly. I stepped back and just brought my gaze back to the floor. "So I'm guessing you heard."

"Yeah," Demi shifted awkwardly as she glanced at Joe and Nick. "But don't worry. We don't believe it. They must have had a mix- up or something. We believe YOU, Miles."

I couldn't even manage to fake a smile. "I doubt anyone else will. That's enough evidence to throw me in jail. And if I'm found guilty, they'll try me as an adult… This could be a life sentence."

Joe and Demi shared a look again, while Nick kept his gaze on the floor. His hands were stuffed in his pockets and he hadn't said anything since they had gotten here. "Miley. Don't worry. We'll do as much as we can to help. Right, Joe?"

"Definitely," Joe tried to smile encouragingly… but I could tell he was scared too.

"So where's Selena?" I asked noticing her absence.

"Um," Demi started. "Her parents wouldn't let her go outside."

I sat on my bed, tucking my feet under me. "And by outside, you mean, to see me."

I could only imagine what the Perry's reactions were right now. Probably shock… disbelief… remorse. They might have even believed I did it if they didn't allow Selena to see me… or maybe Selena didn't want to see me. I didn't know what to believe anymore.

"She's still kind of in shock. That's why," Demi explained. "The shooting happened months ago, and all of it is just coming back all at once. It's pretty overwhelming."

"How's school?" I asked grimly, watching as I put my hands into tight fists.

"It's been crazy," Joe answered quickly, making a huge exaggeration with his hands. Demi shot him a quick warning look and shook her head.

"Same thing. Just overwhelmed."

"So everyone really does know," I whispered more to myself than them. I watched them shift awkwardly knowing that there really was no point in lying anymore. It had all gotten too big to hide.

"Yeah," Joe finally nodded. Demi shot him another look, but even she knew that there was no point in keeping it to themselves. Instead she sighed a long deep sigh and looked at me.

"Are you coming back to school?"

"I can't," I mumbled. "Bail rules."

"Oh my god, Miles. I can't believe I even forgot. Did you really have to spend a night in jail? How was it?" Demi asked in an extremely worried tone as she sat on the bed next to me and grabbed my hand as if I had just told her I wanted to die.

"How was it?" I laughed, but it really wasn't a laugh. It was almost like I was choking. On air. On words. On everything. "It wasn't fun," I answered honestly, despite my strange and relieving meeting with Janet and her story.

"Did you get put in a cell? Did you have to wear a jail suit? Did you get attacked by -"

"I don't think she wants to talk about that right now, Demi," Joe interrupted her as he walked over and grabbed her other hand. Demi gave me another worried look before finally nodding and understanding how I had probably felt. I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in Joe. He might have been the only person right now who had a slight clue on how I felt inside.

My eyes skimmed over Nick who was still standing across from the room, not saying anything, as if he didn't even want to be here right now… or he didn't have anything to say. Whatever it was, it hurt. He was the first person I expected to comfort me or even to just lie to me telling me it'd be okay. Anything. But he looked a little unsure of what he was doing there instead.

I looked over at Joe and Demi who were now sitting next to each other on my bed and sent me a look of apology which I could tell were based on Nick's silence.

Finally, mom peeked inside the room with an apologetic look. "Sorry guys. But I think you guys should go now. Miley needs her rest," she lied. I've been 'resting' for the past two days. That was the last thing I needed right now.

"Right," Demi and Joe nodded slowly as they stood up from my bed and gave me small hugs which I politely returned back. I hated this small talk and apologetic looks. They all felt sorry for me, and it made me feel horrible. Like I was a mistake.

The only person who wasn't looking at me with a sorry look on their face was Nick, but that was because he wasn't looking at me at all.

"We'll see you soon, Miles," Demi tried to smile, but it just ended up looking like a forced twisted frown. Joe grabbed for her hand in support before walking out of the room, following my Mom downstairs. They motioned for Nick to follow as they walked out, but he lingered there for a few moments not sure what to do.

"Nick," I finally whispered as I stepped up. His hands were still jammed in his pockets. "Say something."

His eyes flashed up and I could finally see those chocolate brown eyes I fell in love with, but today they were sad. Not the same ones. "Miley… I…"

"I know you hate me right now, but I would never have hurt Kevin. Or anyone else. You know that."

His eyes flashed with confusion before finally opening his mouth again. "Miley," he whispered for the second time. "It's not-"

But Joe walked back inside, and noticed the intense look in our faces. "Oh, sorry."

I sat back down on my bed awkwardly and shook my head. "No. It's fine. We weren't talking."

And technically, it was the truth. I didn't know what to do anymore, what to say. I just hoped that Nick would forgive me and tell me he loved me again… even though I didn't deserve it.

At all.

"Bye," I whispered, not really knowing what else to say. Joe gave a sad smile as he walked out with Nick following him.

After hearing the footsteps fade from the stairs, the door close shut, and the lock turned, I threw myself onto my bed bed and screamed into my pillow until I lost my voice.

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_**A/N: Just wanted to say a quick thanks for the 13 reviews for the last chapter. Biggest number of reviews so far. I finished this chapter earlier, but didn't have time to upload so enjoy.**_

_**I'm vacationing in Canada by mid- August so I'm planning to finish the story by then, but the court stuff might take awhile for me to figure out. Review! And Thank you for reading and making this story what it is. :)**_


	18. Chapter 17: The Truths About Apologies

_**A/N:**__** I know this took really long, and it's not really the longest or most intense chapter, but I've been spending time with family that's visiting. Sorry. I promise that the next chapter will be pretty long and I'll update as soon as possible. **_

_**And THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! I love you guys so much. 14 reviews. :) I love your feedback, and enjoy this chapter. **_

_**

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May 6th, 2010 (8: 57 A.M. ) {Present- Day}**_

I buttoned up a clean pressed white collared shirt, and tucked it into a navy skirt that passed a few inches underneath my scabbed knees. Grabbing a few bobby pins from my bedside table, I pinned back my bangs in a neat wave so my storm gray eyes seemed even wider than they were before; they looked so innocent; like I hadn't seen what I had seen; like they hadn't done what I had done.

I folded back the ends of the sleeves to the base of my wrists, making sure they still hid the fading purple bruises made by Patrick's bare hands, and I slipped into my favorite pair of cowboy boots that my granddad got me for my 16th birthday. They told me to wear something more suitable, but I needed to wear something today that was part of me.

Like, really me. Not who they were trying to make me.

"Miley," my mom's voice trailed from outside my door as if she had been waiting for me there the entire time. Her tone was so soft that I might not have even heard it.

I turned my head around to see her standing at the foot of the door in attire similar to mine. She had worn make- up, but beneath the cover- up, I could tell she had been crying. I wonder if she even let the idea pass through her head that this might be the last few minutes I would have in my room.

"It's time."

I turned my head back around and swiveled my head to meet my own reflection. I stared back through my own eyes and just stood there frozen as if I had no idea what I was doing anymore. I was just lost.

So so lost.

Finally, I broke the trance as I looked down and gave almost a slight nod. I took a deep breath and wiped my palms on my skirt. I turned back around and slowly walked towards my mom's frail, shaking arms as if not sure where I was going.

"I'm ready."

* * *

_**February 13th, 2010 (12: 56 P.M.)**_

_Liam tried wrapping his arms around me awkwardly, knowing that I was angry at him. I pushed him away despite my lack of strength compared to his and tried to walk down the stone steps trying to get to my next period._

_"Miles. C'mon."_

_He jogged up slowly until he walked right next to me. I clutched my books tighter. I knew I would get over it soon, but I knew I wasn't supposed to. I guess it was a feeling of guilt of what he had done._

_"I had to do it. He wasn't invited."_

_"Yes, Liam. You had to beat the crap out of a kid for going to a party where he really wasn't going to do anything anyway."_

_"Ha," he smirked, nudging me, as if I hadn't said anything at all. "You talked to me."_

_"Shut up," I mumbled as I tried to get through. I couldn't believe I was about to laugh. He had beaten up Snort in front of basically half the school in Emily's backyard. By the end of the night, I had already gone home, but Selena and Demi JUST HAD TO call and tell me all about it._

_Apparently, he didn't have the strength to stand up after Liam had left him bleeding and unconscious on the ground, so Emily had to get some other sophomore guys who basically followed her every order to send him home. The last thing she wanted was the police to find an unconscious body in her backyard, let alone her parents._

_"Miley," he grabbed my arm and pulled me towards him. I shook it away but I knew it was no use. I would have to listen to whatever excuse he could come up with. "I love you," he whispered._

_That softened me up a little as I dropped my shoulders almost in a defeat. "I love you too, Liam. But you know I can't forgive you that easily."_

_"What's with you and this kid anyway?"_

_I shifted uncomfortably. "He was in one of my classes. And he goes around school, Liam. There's not that many people to NOT know."_

_Liam shrugged, and I sighed in relief knowing that he accepted my answer. Because in pure honesty, it was the truth. I hardly doubt you could call us friends, but at the same time, you wouldn't call us strangers either. "Miley. C'mon. You know the rules. Freshmans can't show up. It's like our… duty… to take care of them."_

_I smirked at his complete oblivious mind, and couldn't help but even laugh a little. He took that as a good sign and took my hands into his. "Maybe I was a little jealous too."_

_He said it so innocently that I knew I instantly forgave him on the spot. "Really?"_

_He nodded slowly. "Yeah. I just, I don't know. You were alone with him, and you were talking. And his hands were on you…"_

_"That was a complete misunderstanding," I said way too quickly, but Liam didn't think anything of it. As if knowing that he was forgiven, he walked over to a shaded space around the corner and picked me up to kiss me. I kissed back just as hungrily and wrapped my arms around his neck. His hands roamed around my waist, and stopped at a sensitive spot on my back._

_"You are so hot," he mumbled in between kisses. Too into all of it, I couldn't get anything out._

_A mumble of voices and a shuffle of footsteps caused Liam to fly back from me almost causing me to slam my head against the wall in the process. He hated having other people see us kissing. He absolutely HATED public displays of affection._

_A group of his senior friends turned the corner giggling and chattering like idiots, like they had no other care in life other than high school. Liam shot them a look and relaxed. Sighing, he reached over and took my hands into his again and walked the other way around to avoid them. I was guessing he didn't feel like talking to them._

_"What was that all about?" I asked as we got back onto the stone steps leading back to the school building._

_"What?" he asked, keeping his eyes straight forward._

_"You didn't even say hi to your friends."_

_"Oh. That," he mumbled. "I just don't feel like talking to those idiots," he tried to sound in a teasing mood._

_"Okay," I mumbled back not in the mood to get in a fight about something else again._

_"Well, I have to go get to um class. I'll see you later?"_

_I forced a smile wishing that he could stay longer and tip toed to peck his lips. "Love you."_

_"Love you too," he smiled before walking back down the path towards the school building. I sighed watching him walk away and turned around to walk towards the art building. I entered the double glass doors and slipped into the empty hallway. The whole building seemed silent except for the sound of my own soft breathing and shuffling footsteps._

_The lights above me started flickering on and off on and off as I quickened my pace to get to art class. The school was horrible at paying electric bills, and the janitors and electricians in this school were too lazy to fix it. Grumbling to myself, I turned the corner to the hallway of the art room just when the lights flickered black._

_If there was one thing I was honestly scared of, it was darkness. I felt blind as I felt around for something to guide me. My hands grazed the plastered walls as I pressed myself onto something solid for support. The art room couldn't be that far now._

_Out of the silence, broke a loud banging from the hall I had just walked in from. The pounding of glass and fist echoed in my ears causing my heart to quiver in my chest. I bit my lip telling myself that I was safe. I was in school. Nothing could go wrong._

_"Miley," a voice whispered from somewhere around me. It sounded so close…_

_So._

_Close._

_I stood there frozen, not knowing where to go anymore. I just brought my hands up in curled fists and tried to close my eyes._

_"Miley," it whispered again, this time in a softer eerier tone. I could tell the voice was coming from in front of me, but from the closed lights all I could see was darkness._

_And darkness._

_And more darkness._

_Shaking, I brought my fists up and punched open air in front of me until my hands smashed into something solid. I heard a choking sound in front of me as a tumbling echoed through the hall. I opened my fists and backed away, wondering who or what I had hit._

_Suddenly, the lights flickered back on, and in front of me was a sprawled Snort._

_"Holy crap, Snort. What the hell did you think you were doing sneaking up on me like that?" I gasped, bringing my hands to my racing chest._

_"ME sneaking up on YOU?" Snort grasped his chin in his hands and rubbed it fiercely. My hit wasn't even that hard, but then again, he wasn't exactly the strongest person to withstand it._

_"God. You scared me," I whispered._

_"Sorry," he mumbled. "I followed you here to talk to you after I saw you um talking to Liam."_

_I turned to really look at him, and I cringed as I saw one of his eyes bruised terribly. He had some bandages on his arm, and a scar around the size of 5 inches trailed his forehead to the side of his cheek. He looked pretty bad. Suddenly, I felt horrible for forgiving Liam so quickly without even seeing how Snort was._

_"I'm sorry," I mumbled stepping closer to see that his arms trailed bruises too._

_He shrugged trying to look strong, but I could see his was still in pain. "It's okay. I wasn't welcome. Everyone made it pretty clear."_

_"No. I'm sorry for leaving you… there… alone."_

_"I got home eventually."_

_"Yeah, but—"_

_"It's fine, Miley. Really… I have to go."_

_I wiped my hands on my jeans awkwardly. "Um. Right. Well, I'll see you later."_

_"Really?" he said with a raised eyebrow. I bit my lip wishing I had said that in a different way, but I knew it was too late. And I kinda sorta didn't mind seeing him again. Maybe it was a feeling of guilt, or maybe it was just a feeling of curiosity of getting to know him better. Who knows. But instead of taking it back, I just brought a hesitant hand up and waved as he walked out with a hopeful smile._

_As I walked into class, a thought passed my mind. What had Snort been doing in the art building anyway? The AV room was all the way across from school._

_A passing student pushed past me breaking my thoughts. Sighing, I just took a seat and brought my attention to the board._

* * *

_**May 6th, 2010 (10: 27 A.M.) **__** {Present- Day}**_

I scanned the endless rows of plain wooden benches that were laid out in front of me. The courtroom was full of people from town. People from town who all hated me.

I could see my mom and dad sitting next to each other, comforting each other, in the front row. They couldn't meet my eyes.

I brought my attention to the other side of the room where Demi and Joe were sitting closely together as if they were joined by the hip. Demi kept sending me reassuring smiles and glances, but I didn't feel like getting my hopes up. I knew it was hopeless at this point.

Selena and her family weren't there, but I wasn't exactly surprised.

What really surprised me was Nick's absence. I knew he was really confused, but I thought he would at least come…

For me.

I brought my gaze to my hands on my lap wondering why I even got my hopes up for him.

I recognized Detective Wilden in one of the tables next to me; the people that would be trying to persuade the jury WHY I had killed their children, their families, their loved ones…

His eyes flickered to meet mine, and he gave a slight head nod that I was too numb to return. I just met his cold coal- black eyes and just stared trying to find some recognition to make me feel a little safer; that this was all a sick joke they had decided to play on me. That behind those wooden doors, everyone who had died were standing there laughing together like nothing had happened.

But as I stared, nothing like that came.

Instead Detective Wilden turned in his seat to face the judge entering the court room. She was a pleasant 40- year old woman that was pretty social in town. She had her hair tied up in a neat chestnut bun and her eyes seemed dazed as if she didn't know what she was doing here either.

"Her niece were one of the injured during the shooting," a person whispered as she slipped into the chair next to me, where my lawyer was supposed to sit. I looked up to meet my lawyer's eyes and was surprised to find the soft chocolate brown eyes that looked too familiar.

"Mrs. Hanson," I gasped as I stood up. "What are you doing here?"

She set her briefcase up on the table and turned to look at me. "To prove your innocence."

"But what, um, my parents hired you?" I managed to mumble out.

"Technically, yes. They hired me, but I came to them."

"But why?" I asked, remembering that their eldest son, Kevin, had been killed at this shooting. And right now, I was basically the only suspect.

"Because I know you didn't do it, and I can't stand there watching someone else who doesn't know you well enough to know that you aren't the kind of person who would do this represent you in this courtroom."

"Thank you," I whispered trying to force a smile. Denise Hanson patted my hand.

"It's okay. You don't have to fake smiles for me. I understand."

Even though she probably didn't, I couldn't help but choke back on a sob and nod slowly. I turned around, scanning the room for the familiar head of jet- black curls, but I couldn't find him. Denise, as if noticing my wandering stares, put a hand on my shoulder and shook her head.

"Don't be mad at Nick, Miley. He just needs time to figure out what he believes in. And I think he believe in you… It just takes some time."

I looked back at the way too familiar brown eyes yet with a slight difference and nodded. I felt her hand pat mine, and I sighed trying my best to relax. Nick was my last worry right now, but I couldn't help but wonder where he was right now; if he was thinking about me.

Suddenly, a loud banging caught all our attentions as we brought our gazes to the judge who was now seated in her chair and scanning the room.

Her dazed green eyes met mine for a beat of a second, and I saw something flash in her eyes. I couldn't read what it was, but I knew it made her look away just as quickly.

"Order in the court."

It was about to begin.


	19. Chapter 18: The Truths About Confessions

_**A/N: Told you I'd update ASAP. Hahaa. And this is my LONGEST chapter yet. Almost double than my regular chapters. It's pretty important. And don't worry about Nick. He'll come back in the story in time. From the beginning, I knew this story would center around Niley too much. So sorry if you want more Niley.**_

_**AND THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! I got like 13 in the time span of 4 hours. It usually takes 3 days to get that. ILOVEYOUGUYSTODEATH3 :)**_

_**P.S. Next chapter will be up in 1- 2 days. **_

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_**May 6th, 2010 (11: 01 A.M.) **__** {Present- Day}**_

"Please take a seat," Detective Wilden announced to a young man who looked so familiar. He was the first witness that Detective Wilden had chosen to question, but I still couldn't remember where I had seen him from. He was too old to go to high school, but I didn't recognize him well enough from an adult around town.

"What is your job of duty?"

The young man shifted in his seat, and I could tell he was uncomfortable. "I work in the medical field."

"And when did you first come into contact with Ms. Stewart over there?" he motioned towards me.

"March 16 in the boys' locker-room at the high school."

"And what were you doing there?"

"Your honor, I think we all understand why we are here. We don't need it repeated," Mrs. Hanson stood up calmly. The judge sighed and nodded.

"Accepted, Mrs. Hanson. Let's move on, Mr. Wilden."

"So what exactly was your job when you got to the high school?"

"To look for um, dead bodies."

"And did you find any?"

"Yes. I found one."

"And whose body was that?"

I closed my eyes remembering why he had looked so familiar.

"The body of Liam Perry."

I could hear a few grumbles and small gasps from the crowd and I just shut my eyes tighter. The only other sound in the room were Wilden's small footsteps as he paced back and forth across the tiled floor.

"And as I understand, there was another body in the room."

"Yes. There was, but she was still alive."

"Can you identify her in this court room?" Detective Wilden asked politely.

I felt all eyes trace to me as the young man's finger pointed straight at my head. "Her. She was the one."

"Can you tell me her exact position to the other body as detailed as possible?"

The paramedic's guy who was probably barely past his 20's, gulped and nodded. "They were in the shower room. The body was right in the center and the girl was kneeled to his left, I think. And her hands were on his chest, and the other on his head. And she was crying."

"And what else did you see in the room aside from her and the body?"

The witness ran a hand through his short cropped hair nervously. "Blood… A lot of blood. And the murder weapon, a Browning 9x19 ml High Power. It was a pretty crafty weapon."

"And where was the weapon in position to the two bodies?"

"The weapon was at least a foot away from the girl. There was blood on it too."

"And was there traces of blood of the appointed suspect?"

"Yes. We found a lot of blood on her. All over her clothes, her skin, her hands… It was as if she had been stabbed and stabbed."

"But she hadn't. As I understand, she was completely fine."

"Yes. Aside from a few bruises and cuts here and there, she wasn't hurt. At all. No gun wounds or actually any wounds to even be big enough to create that much blood."

"And that means—"

"Yes," the paramedic nodded slowly. "That means that all the blood on her was someone else's."

Detective Wilden nodded and took a step back with an accomplished look on his face; as if he had just won a race instead of just rekindled a vivid picture of the shooting in everyone's mind. "That is all, your honor."

The judge nodded and brought her gaze towards us. "Mrs. Hanson. Is your defendant ready?"

"Actually, your honor, would it be okay if I question this witness first?"

"Whatever you choose, Mrs. Hanson," the judge shrugged. Taking that as an answer, she slid her chair out and stood up gracefully. They didn't label her one of the best in the state for nothing. She walked over to the witness with such confidence and grace that I could see a flash of fear and awe in the paramedic's eyes.

"Good morning, Mr. Penley… Right?"

He nodded slowly.

"So around how many minutes after you got the 911 call from the high school, did you find Ms. Stewart and Mr. Perry in the locker room?"

"Well, we had to wait for a signal that the school was clear before we could search around for the injured… and dead."

Surprisingly, Denise didn't seem affected at all. She just walked a little closer and opened the manila folder in her hands.

"And how much time would that be?"

"Maybe half an hour or so."

"A half an hour is a pretty long time, don't you think?"

"Objection," Detective Wilden stood up. "Opinions are not taken into account."

The judge nodded. "Objection accepted."

Mrs. Hanson shrugged it off and continued. "But that would be enough time for a lot to happen. It only takes a milisecond to shoot a bullet. Isn't that right?"

"Yes."

"And what do you think could have happened in that other 29 minutes and 59 seconds?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. A lot?"

"And if someone had that much time, wouldn't they have at least had the logic to hide the weapon? To run? To leave the victim?"

"Yes. Most situations we have, the um, shooter is always absent."

"So as I know, Ms. Stewart is a pretty logical girl. Good grades, no weird or psychotic behavior. If she had done the action, would she not have run?"

"I would guess so."

"Yet instead, she is found with Liam Perry's body. She stayed with him. And as I clearly heard you had say earlier, she was crying? A lot, I'm guessing?"

"Yes. A lot. We had to use force for her to calm down and get her away from the body."

Mrs. Hanson nodded. "And as you said before also, her hands were on top of the wounds. Chest and head, right?"

"That's correct. It almost looked as if she were," he paused, closing his eyes as if picturing the whole scene in his head. "As if she were trying to put pressure on the wound… Like she was actually trying to stop the bleeding."

"Was Mr. Perry already dead by then?"

"Yes. He must have died instantly from the gun- shot to the head."

"But she was still trying to stop the bleeding… Like she was trying to save him?"

"That's what it looked like."

"So Mr. Penley, if Ms. Stewart is the suspected shooter and murder of Mr. Perry then why would she be wasting the precious time to run for trying to save someone who she probably already knew could not be saved?"

He seemed confused by the question. "I… I don't know."

"Doesn't make much sense, am I right?"

"No. It doesn't make much sense."

"That's what I thought," Mrs. Hanson finished as she turned around to walk back to our table. As she was half- way back, Mr. Penley's voice carried out from behind her like a soft wind.

"But then again, Mrs. Hanson. If she did run, where would she have gone?"

Silence except for a few mumbling entered the room, but Mrs. Hanson ignored the comment and after a swift pause, continued back to the chair next to me. "Is it going okay… for me, I mean?"

Mrs. Hanson didn't look my direction, but her voice came out in a whisper that was only meant for me. "I don't know. It's too early to tell."

So I sat back in my seat, watching as they called witness after witness after witness after witness, wondering when or if this was all ever going to end.

* * *

_**February 14th, 2010 (10: 14 P.M.)**_

I tucked my feet under me, trying to be careful to not wrinkle my dress… But even I knew there was no point. I wasn't going to wear it anywhere tonight.

I glanced at my phone again and frowned as I saw the time 10: 14 P.M. flashing as if taunting me. It was Valentine's Day and I was alone.

I sat at the porch swing at the Perry's backyard and had been waiting for Liam for the past hour. I had gotten ready at Selena's house where Liam had promised he'd pick me up after hanging out at a friend's house. Selena was gone with a guy who had just gotten the guts to ask her out. Feeling sorry for him, she agreed and was now probably having more fun than I was. Her parents had gone out of town for some fancy dinner; the power of money.

I rocked myself back and forth and watched as the bench swing rocked back and forth in momentum. The cold winter wind pierced my bare arms, and I rubbed them trying my best to keep warm. I hated staying inside… by myself… alone… in the dark. It was all too depressing.

At least outside, although I was alone, there were trees and grass and wind. There was something.

I saw lights flash inside the house, and I sighed and picked myself up. I couldn't decide whether to be relieved that he was finally here or angry that he had been so late. This was Valentine's Day. We were supposed to be together or at some fancy restaurant that I hated but Liam forced me to go; like how it was last year.

I watched from the kitchen window as he entered, covered in sweat and in his basketball shorts. His hair was ruffled up in a huge afro of blonde hair and he sat at the kitchen counter and took out a box of cereal and milk and started preparing his own midnight snack. That's when it hit me. And it hurt even more than I expected it to.

He didn't remember.

He didn't remember it was Valentine's Day. Or maybe he didn't remember me.

His eyes flickered towards the window as if on instinct and I watched as his eyes widened with recognition as his eyes traveled towards my dress, my make- up, my curled hair…

He stood up, but I ran inside and into the living room as I tried to run out the house and hold back tears at the same time. Not seeing Liam's backpack, one of my heels got caught on a strap, and I couldn't help but stumble forward.

Right before I fell face first onto the hard marble floor, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist, catching me in the process.

"Oof," I mumbled as Liam pulled me up quickly. I turned around to meet his apologetic eyes, and I felt something inside me soften… But I couldn't forgive him now. Not for this. It was too much.

"Miles. I'm sorry. I got caught up, and I completely forgot."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

He shook his head and tried to step closer to me. "No. But it's the truth. I don't want to lie. Yes. It did pass my mind, but I didn't mean it to."

"That's what they all say," I mumbled as I crossed my arms and looked away. This only caused Liam to move even closer and place a gentle hand on my arm.

"C'mon, Miles. You know there isn't anyone else I'd rather spend Valentine's Day with."

"I don't know anymore," I whispered. "Liam. We don't see each other. Well, rarely. Football and practices and training and exercising have been taking over your life. And when we do hang out, it's like you want to spend it with everyone else. Not me… Like at that party a few nights ago—"

"Don't bring this up, Miles. I thought you forgave me for this already. We talked about this," he interrupted with a sneer.

I continued anyway. "It was the one night we had alone together, and you wanted to spend it with all those people instead of me…"

"Miley. Is it illegal for me to want to talk to someone else? To hang out with someone else that's NOT you? You're not the only person in my life!" he screamed out frustrated. I cringed back from his words. I wasn't the only person in his life… Probably not even one of the most important…

"I'm sorry, okay? That didn't come out right. I miss you. A lot. I just meant—"

"I know what you meant," I mumbled awkwardly. "I just feel like I don't know you anymore… Like you're a different person now than when we first. Like, we're both different people."

"What are you trying to say? You want to break up?"

I shook my head quickly and put them in my hands, now really knowing what I wanted. "God, no. Nothing like that. I'm just saying that I feel like we're both changing, and I want to stop that."

"You can't stop change."

"I know, but I want to slow it down. To try at least," I mumbled so quietly that it almost seemed as if I were talking to myself. "I mean, you're going to college this fall. You're going to leave… me. What's going to happen?"

He looked down and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I don't know."

"I don't know either."

"Then why don't we stop thinking about it and face the problem when we do know," he explained trying to sound logical. I looked up to meet his gray eyes and nodded slowly.

"Where were you anyway?"

"I got caught up in running."

"Running? I thought you said you were at a friend's house," I raised an eyebrow. He moved closer.

"Yeah. But I decided to go on a run after. That's why I'm so… not ready for a date tonight."

"Aside from the fact that you forgot of course," I added spitefully. He moved closer and brought me into his arms, and surprisingly, I didn't push away. Maybe it was because I didn't want to lose him, or maybe it was just because I was too exhausted to do anything anymore.

"I'm sorry, Miles. Can we at least start over? Just go upstairs and hang out there? You always did hate those stupid restaurants I brought you too."

I looked back into the gray eyes I had fallen for a year ago and gave in. "I did hate those restaurants."

Liam mumbled back a laugh and took my hand to lead me upstairs. We walked into his room, which surprisingly looked cleaner than usual. I took a seat on his bed and kicked my shoes off casually. Liam took a seat next to me, and even through the sweat and exhaustion in his eyes, he still looked handsome. Smiling, I leaned forward to kiss him, but he moved away awkwardly. I opened my mouth to ask what was wrong, but instead he looked away and stood up. I watched as Liam walked over to his stereo on the other side of the room and shuffled around until a familiar Killers' song started blasting through.

"Remember this?" he mumbled, turning up the volume.

I smiled despite his hesitation with the kiss and nodded. "It was the song we first danced to at prom last year."

He walked closer and I stood up, letting him wrap his arms around my waist. As we started dancing, I didn't care if we were in the middle of his room, surrounded by his dirty clothes and rock posters and unmade bed. Instead I just hugged him closer and swayed to the beat like there was nothing else but us and the music. He brought his lips to my ear and whispered, "It was also the song that I first realized how much I loved you."

I tried to flash him a smile, despite the fact that something he had said was killing me on the inside.

He had said loved.

* * *

_**May 6th, 2010 (11: 45 A.M.) **__** {Present- Day}**_

"Miley, miley," I felt Denise shaking me gently. I turned towards her, breaking out of the memory and looked up at her worried eyes. "Are you okay?"

I shook her worry away and nodded. "Yeah. Sorry. There's a lot on my mind."

She patted my hand and tried to smile reassuringly. "Well, it's a court recess for another five minutes. I'm going to go get a coffee outside. Do you want to come?"

"No. I'm fine," I whispered back. The truth was, I didn't want to bump into anyone. That would just give them another chance to lie to me again; to tell me that it would all be okay, when it wouldn't. As I heard Denise's heels click away and fade as she exited, I relaxed into the leather chair I was sitting in and closed my eyes wishing that I could scan the memory in any other way. Maybe I had missed out on something. Maybe my mind twisted itself to hear what I thought I had heard. Maybe Liam really had said 'love' instead of 'loved'…

But every time I played it through in my head, it would never change. It would always been the past tense.

Every.

Single.

Time.

A pair of footsteps echoing inside the room broke through my thoughts, and it was the first time that I realized I was completely alone in the court room. Everyone had exited for the court recess. And for some reason, I wasn't at all surprised when I swiveled my chair around to come face to face with Patrick Nelson.

He at least looked cleaner, more proper today. He had a clean sweater pulled onto a white t-shirt, and under that he had somehow found himself a proper pair of khaki pants. My guess was that he had managed to steal them off someone's laundry line. I was almost 100% sure that he hadn't gone home since there was still a few traces of dirt on his neck and exposed arms. His hair was also just as messy as it had been that night at the mall.

The only thing that did surprise me was that his parents hadn't filed for a LOST report yet. Maybe they hadn't noticed… maybe they didn't even care.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him seriously, not in the mood for any of his games.

"I heard from the local newspaper that your hearing was today."

"That doesn't answer my question, Patrick," I said calmly, and instead of a playful smirk to place itself on his face like I expected, he sighed and nodded.

"I just wanted to see how you were doing."

A normal person would have believed him and maybe even smiled for thinking how thoughtful he was to even think about me. A normal person would have just accepted his answer and thought nothing from it, but I wasn't a normal person. Not now. And I knew him way too well to know that he wanted more.

"What are you really here for?"

He stuffed his hands in the khakis that I was pretty sure weren't his and sighed as if he had been holding his breath for ages. "I want to know what you're going to tell them."

I looked up him waiting for him to meet my eyes, but it was like he didn't have the strength for it anymore. "You mean you want to know if I'm going to tell them the truth," I corrected for him.

He hesitated for a moment as if wondering whether to lie to me, but I knew he realized there really wasn't a point to anymore. We were way too far into this to mix up any more lies into our story. "Exactly," he managed to answer back.

"I have to, Patrick. We're in too deep. It's the only way."

"It's not the only choice," he growled angrily.

"Yes it is! Can't you see? It's too late for both of us. If we just keep making up story after story, lie after lie, it's all just going to keep coming back to us… And every time it does, the consequences will just get worse and worse…"

"Miley—"

"No, Patrick. I have to. I don't want to lose anymore."

I watched as he curled his hands into tight fists. "Are you going to tell them about me?"

"I have to. If I don't-,"

He slammed his fists onto the wooden table and the slam of the impact echoed through the empty room. Scared, I looked around to see if anyone had heard, but the room had gone back to its silence as if nothing had happened. For a second, I though Patrick was going to hurt me, right here. Maybe even kill me… But we were surrounded by too many people. He wouldn't take the chance.

"So this is it? You're going to tell them just like that?"

I nodded slowly, not knowing what else to say to him.

Beneath his coal pupils, I could trace out a fear and an anticipation as if he couldn't deicide. I swiveled my chair back, because I just couldn't meet his eyes anymore… or even face the fact that I had been trying to ignore from the very beginning.

Patrick Nelson had gone insane.

A loud ringing broke through the course air, and from behind me, I heard Patrick Nelson turn around and exit the wooden doors. I knew he wouldn't stay.

A few seconds later, I heard the room shuffle with people as it was all going to start all over again. Like what had just happened with Patrick was paused time.

"Hey, Miles. Good luck," Demi whispered as she entered the room with Joe. They both looked a little better, but I could still see their worried glances.

"We'll talk to you after," Joe stated more instead of asking. Not knowing what else to say to him, I just gave a slight nod of recognition and turned around. I heard Denise approaching. She gave Joe a small hug and a whisper of unaudible words before taking her seat back next to me.

"Are you okay?" she asked as she caught my pale face.

"Um." Flashes of Patrick's face from the mall to the night at Selena's house to the time at the book store and finally to the time of his voice screaming at me past the hallways at school… It all passed through my mind in blurs as if it were all re- playing through my head in the speed of light. I couldn't get full clear pictures, but I saw enough to get the idea to invade my mind. Instinctively, my hands reached out to grasp my bruised wrists. I snaked my hands around to my back and cringed slightly. Although the bruises were fading from his kick, just the memory was enough pain to send me shaking.

Suddenly remembering that Mrs. Hanson was watching me, I shook the thoughts away to the farthest corner of my mind and looked back up to meet her curious gaze. "I'm fine," I lied for probably the thousandth time in the past few weeks. Maybe it was because it was one of the easiest lies to tell; a lie that even the purest and most honest make.

She looked at me for a few moments as if hesitating on my answer. Finally, the judge commanded silence in the court, and that seemed to make up her mind for her. We, along with everyone in the room, faced the judge with anticipating stares.

"Recess is over. Mr. Wilden?"

He stood up and nodded to the judge solemnly. "I would like to call up a student who had been a witness during the shooting; Emily Robinson."

For a swift second, I opened my mouth to say something, but in the same moment, I realized where I was and the circumstances that surrounded us. I shut my mouth.

Everyone in the room turned to watched Emily Robinson saunter up to the stand in a skirt that reached right under her butt. She looked like she was dressed for clubbing; not for a murder case. She didn't mind the stares or dropped jaws. In fact, she was eating it all up. Attention satisfied her.

I looked away in disgust and brought my hands to my lap in tight fists to restrain myself from wringing her perfect little slutty neck. I couldn't believe that she was taking this all so… lightly.

She took her time, swinging her hips, as she took a seat on the stand.

"Um, excuse me, miss, but can you stand up. You need to give an oath."

"Oh yeah. Right," she flushed embarrassed. She raised her right hand and after a few lines that she had to have repeated for her, she finished the oath and sat down.

"So Ms. Robinson. How well did you know the victims of the shooting?"

She made a big show of waving her arms around and bringing her hands to her heart. "Oh my god. We were so close. Especially Liam and Kevin. I was dating Kevin's brother for a short while, so during that time we got really close."

I didn't think Emily knew that their mother was the woman sitting and representing me right now or maybe she just didn't give a damn. I shot a glance at Denise and saw her as calm and peaceful as ever. She was too good at this.

"Right," Detective Wilden mumbled, and I could tell he was regretting the person he had chosen as a witness. "So would you say you were part of their what you teenagers call 'posse's' now?"

She nodded quickly. "Definitely. We hung out almost every day."

I bit my tongue to keep myself from screaming at the brunette in front of me. All that was coming out of her mouth were lies. Every. Single. Thing… Lies, lies, lies.

"She's lying," I whispered to Denise. She nodded, but didn't look at me.

"So Ms. Robinson. Were you sitting with them the day of the shooting in the cafeteria?"

She coughed awkwardly. I um, no. I was busy with cheerleading and all, you know. I've got a lot going on. But I usually do, you know."

"Right," Detective Wilden answer quickly. "But were there any significant events that happened before the shooting?"

She shrugged casually. "Nothing really. Everyone was just eating a quick snack before going off to their next period. It was like any other day."

"And is it true that Ms. Stewart and Mr. Perry weren't in the cafeteria when the shooting had begun?"

"Oh yeah. They left the cafeteria together a few minutes before."

"Do you remember, Ms. Robinson, how many minutes exactly?"

She shook her head looking thoroughly confused. "I can't remember. I know it wasn't more than 20 minutes. Our break time is only 20 minutes and we were already half way through the break- time before the shooting had begun."

"Would you say, Ms. Robinson, that it was enough time for Ms. Stewart to have found a weapon? Maybe go to her locker?"

"Yeah. Definitely. Especially since her locker is in the hallway to the cafeteria."

"So that would give her enough time to pick up a weapon that she may have stashed. And enough to reload, and enough time to walk back quickly without being seen by a teacher?"

She nodded. "Yup. Her locker is like right outside. And almost everyone was in the cafeteria that day. No one could have seen her."

"And once the shooting began, what did you see?"

"I'm not sure. I can't really remember. It all happened so fast that I couldn't keep track of it all. One minute I'm chatting away with my frien-, I mean talking to the other cheerleaders, and another minute, I'm lying on the floor with everyone screaming and on the floor next to me. We looked like one huge messy and unfinished puzzle…"

The courtroom went silent as they listened intently to what she had to say. Even I started to listen. For a second, Emily actually sounded real.

"And after the shooting what happened?"

She stopped for a second as if realizing where she was. She blinked a few times before continuing. "After the shots stopped, everyone was silent. Everyone was too scared to move. I was so tempted to look up to see who had fired the shots but everyone was just so… frozen. I felt like if I even tried to look, I would die. Like the rest of them…" She paused and blinked a few more times. "But then police filled the room and it was like we all just woke up from a dream. We all stood up and got out of the room, and some… some couldn't. They were just lying there, not moving. Like they had fallen asleep… And the police men were just shaking them and shaking them, but… but they wouldn't wake up. The never woke up… no matter how hard they shook them. They just wouldn't."

The whole room had gone silent. Everyone the crowd had closed their eyes, and the jury and judge were looked shaken. It was like we were all in our own sleep and witnessing the same dream in our mind.

"And then they escorted us out of the cafeteria, and we had to wait outside and answer questions and talk about what we had seen."

"Did you ever get a glimpse of the shooter?"

She shook her head slowly. "No, but I was at the table nearest to the school hallway, and when were finally helped out, I think I saw a flash of something, maybe hair, at the end of the hallway."

"Can you try to describe it at all? Dark, long, light, short?"

She toyed with her dark hair and shrugged. "I can't really remember, but I remember it being dark. Not exactly black, but definitely not blonde. It was long, well, I think. It was just a flash. Like it was running."

"Right. And did you ever see Ms. Stewart after you were evacuated?"

She looked straight at me with such honesty and question in her eyes that I was the one who had to look away first. "No. I didn't."

She shook her head as if suddenly remembering something. "No, wait. I did see her. But it was like an hour after us, and she was alone. She was being led out by a paramedic… And she was covered in so much blood."

"Is there anything else you remember?"

"Nothing really. I just remember everyone staring at her. Even I was staring at her. Like we couldn't take our eyes off her. And her face when she got out… It looked like… nothing. And that's the thing. It looked like nothing, and that's what scared all of us."

"And after that did you see anything else?"

"No."

"And is it true from your understanding that Liam Perry and Miley Stewart were in a romantic relationship at the time?"

"I'm pretty sure, but—" she stopped as if not sure whether to say anything. "But I heard from school rumors that they had broken up a few days before… or that one of them had cheated on the other."

"OBJECTION, you honor!" Denise stood up quickly with a strained face. "Rumors cannot be taken into account in this room."

The judge nodded knowingly, but I could see her hesitancy. "Yes. Of course, Mrs. Hanson. But I am curious to hear this. It will not be taken into account, but continue Mr. Wilden."

He sent her a sweet fat fake smile and continued. "So just a few days before the shooting, they had broken up?"

"No. I didn't say that. I heard that one had cheated on the other. I'm just assuming they broke up from the huge fight they had out in the front lawn."

"Ms. Robinson, do you know who cheated on who?"

She shrugged her pretty little head and ran a hand through her hair slowly. "I'm not sure. It wasn't really clear… But I do know that Liam looked like the angry one… And rumor on the block is that right after Miley went back to school," she pointed a sharp manicured finger straight at my chest. "She hooked up with some guy like they had planned it from the beginning, like they had been together before."

I sat there frozen and closed my eyes wishing that I could disappear. I couldn't hear this, but I didn't have the strength to cover my ears or run out of the courtroom or even to just scream at her to shut up. Instead, I sat there silently and was forced to listen.

Detective Wilden had moved so close to Emily that I could see the fear in her eyes. She had finally said something useful to them. "And do you know who this new guy is?"

She sneered and looked straight at me for a few beats of silence. "The infamous Nick Hanson… Also known as Liam Perry's best friend."

The room erupted in gasp and protests and screams. I looked over to Denise to see if she had known that Nick and I had been together, but she wouldn't look at me. She kept her gaze narrowed at Emily who seemed perfectly satisfied as the courtroom erupted in chaos around her.

"Silence! SILENCE!" the judge screamed over and over again as she pounded her mallet. The room took awhile to calm down, and I closed my eyes and put my head in hands to try to push them all away. I didn't need this. I knew how it looked. I murdered my boyfriend so I could be with his best friend. But that's not how it was. They didn't know how I felt. Not at all.

"I said SILENCE!" the judge stood up with a voice thick with authority. It seemed to work as everyone slowly sat back down. I took a peek at the jury, and they all seemed to be staring at me with judgmental looks. There was no point anymore. They already had the decision locked in their minds.

The judge mumbled something to the officer behind her and watched as she nodded slowly. This is it… I'm going to jail.

I stood up to be prepared to be taken into custody, but I felt Denise's hand grasp my arm and tell me to sit back down. Finally, the judge turned back around to face the crowd and she looked stressed as if she wasn't sure what to do anymore.

"I call this case on a 2- day recess."

"And the suspect, your honor?" Denise asked politely.

She glanced at me once with a hesitant look. "You may take her home on protective custody."

"Thank you, your honor," Denise replied with a small smile. The judge nodded swiftly to me before turning around, her robes swinging behind her, and walked out of the room. I didn't have a second to myself before arms were wrapped around me and leading me outside; back home.


	20. Chapter 19: The Truths About Escape

**_March 2nd, 2010 (5: 37 P.M.) _**

_"Do you see him?" I asked Snort as we approached the unfamiliar bleachers that made up South Gregory High School. It was the other high across town, and Liam had some huge football game today that I decided to surprise him at. I didn't have a car, so I decided to just use the bus. My mom wouldn't let me go by myself. Selena had lacrosse practice, Demi had family coming from Dallas, Joe and Kevin all had to go to some party that their parents had promised to attend. So I ended up calling Snort. He seemed eager enough to go._

_I knew it was a huge risk, especially since Liam hated Snort, but I didn't care at the moment. I just wanted to see him. We hadn't hung out in almost a week, and I just felt so alone._

_"Nope. Don't see him." Snort shook his oily hair as we scanned the crowd of students. They were all covered in the colors red and yellow, which were their school colors, while ours were blue and yellow. The game had just ended a few minutes ago, and our school had won thanks to a final touchdown that Liam had scored. Snort didn't understand the game of football at all, but he managed to sit through the whole game without pulling his hair out._

_We shoved past a group of seniors who were cursing about Liam and how the game had been rigged. Smirking, I walked over until I reached the field. It was still covered with players and people coming to either congratulate them or bash on the other team. There were way too many people for me to even tell where I was going._

_"Miley. I'll go check at the back. Maybe he's leaving," Snort suggested. I opened my mouth to tell him to make sure that Liam didn't see him, but he was already running down the other side of the field with his short legs. I turned back around surprised to have walked right into someone else. They were wearing our school's team football jersey, and I looked up hoping to meet Liam's gray eyes, but instead I found soft brown ones instead._

_"Miley?" Nick Hanson asked as he stepped back to make sure he was seeing the right person._

_"Hey Nick," I mumbled looking around if Liam was anywhere near him._

_"What are you doing here?"_

_"To, um, surprise Liam… Speaking of Liam, have you seen him?" I asked hastily. I was hoping he hadn't left yet._

_"Um. I think he went down there," Nick pointed behind him._

_"Thanks," I smiled before jogging slowly down the field until I reached the place Nick had pointed too. I pushed past a group of freshman girls who were giggling about how 'hot the football players were' and turned the corner surprised to find Snort and Liam talking closely together._

_They were talking in whispers as if purposely not wanting anyone else to hear. Liam's face was beat red, maybe from the game, and Snort's was almost unreadable. I could just see him listening as Liam was talking to him. As if sensing me there, both heads snapped up to look at me._

_"Miley," Liam said as he forced on a smile. I walked towards them awkwardly, not knowing if I was welcome, but I eventually pushed the thought away. Liam was my boyfriend. Snort was my friend. Why wouldn't I be?_

_"Hey, babe," I smiled as he wrapped an arm around me._

_"What are you doing here?"_

_"To surprise you."_

_Liam stayed silent for a few minutes and I looked over to Snort who had his eyes set on the ground as if it were the most fascinating thing on earth. "So I'm guessing you met each other."_

_Liam nodded swiftly and changed the subject to whether I enjoyed the game or not. I looked over at Snort and Liam again wondering what they were talking about… why Liam hadn't even seemed angry that I was with Snort… but I pushed the subject away. I was with Liam in the limited time we had together. Worrying was the last thing I had time to do…_

_

* * *

**May 6th, 2010 (10: 17 P.M.) **** {Present- Day}**_

Waiting.

Everyone does it. Whether it's for a wish to come true, or for change, or a bus, or a friend, or a letter, or maybe even just for a TV show. We all wait for something. Some people don't even realize it… But the complicated thing about waiting is that you're frozen in time. You're not going forward or back. You're just sitting there waiting for something to happen.

But from what I learned in the past few weeks, waiting might as well be another word for 'never', because that's what it really is. The people who wait are the cowards who are too afraid to actually 'do'. They just sit there and try to find something that they subconsciously know will never come… They're just too scared to face it.

I, personally, am tired of waiting. I feel like I've been waiting for something that will never come for my whole life. Like I've been preparing for something that I knew from the beginning wouldn't happen. And now looking back, all I see is wasted time. A lot of wasted time. Too much, even. And then after comes regrets and the 'what ifs' that gnaw at you from the inside.

Because that's what it is. It's killing you. Waiting is killing your life, and you don't even know it.

And here I am, letting it happen without wanting it to.

I sat on my bed legs crossed and tapped my fingers on my legs and counted to 100, and once I reached 100, I would just start from 1 all over again. The trial from earlier today was still fresh on my mind, but luckily I was able to push it away for just a few moments. I was too tired to feel anything right now. My parents had dropped me off at home in complete silence. I could tell they didn't know what to feel either.

Denise drove Joe and Demi to my house a few hours ago, and they just stood there staring at me, now knowing what to say. Eventually, they realized that I wasn't in the mood to talk and had left with looks of worry sketched all over their faces. I wanted to comfort them… (Surprise, huh. ME comforting THEM?) But they looked like they were in so much more pain than me. And I hated seeing it. They didn't do anything to deserve this.

I did.

Surprisingly, I hadn't seen Patrick ever since the encounter in the court room. I would have guessed he would come to talk to me again, to try to stop me… But he didn't. He just disappeared. Again.

And it still hurt that Nick hadn't come to see me; to tell me that he didn't care what happened; to tell me that he would be there no matter what… I knew he would have though. He was just that type of person. I wonder if he knew that they were using us against me in court. I wonder if he knew half the town now believed that we had a secret affair against his best friend's back. I wonder if he hates me.

Sighing and continuing my count back from 100. I picked up the closest thing next to me, which was my laptop, and signed on out of curiosity. My fingers froze as I saw Selena's screenname pop up onto the screen.

She was online.

I hesitated for a few moments, making a list of what could go wrong, but I ended up shrugging it away and opening a conversation box with her. I had to talk to her. To explain to her what was going on. I knew that I couldn't trust the judge or jury to help me anymore. They already had clear and vivid pictures in their heads, and in each one, I was the one with the gun; I was the one killing.

_**Smileymiley15**_: _Selena. I really need to talk to you._

She didn't answer. I sat there in front of my laptop screen just staring at it, waiting for the ringing sound indicating that she had responded, but nothing came.

_**Smileymiley15**_: _Please, Sel. It's important._

Still nothing.

_**Smileymiley15**_: _I'm sorry._

_**xSelivelovex**: -offline-_

I exhaled in frustration and was about to slam my laptop shut before a new IM filled my screen. The name didn't sound familiar, but it didn't take too long to figure it out.

_**NHason3**_3: Come outside.

**_Smileymiley15_**: _Nick?_

_**NHanson33**: Yeah. Come outside. 5 minutes top._

_**Smileymiley15**: I can't. Bail rules. I can't leave._

_**NHanson33**: 5 minutes._

I was surprised that he didn't take the bail rules seriously. Especially since his mom was one of the most well- known lawyers in the state, let alone the fact that she was responsible for me. I looked out my window and just stared at the glass that was holding me back. For the past few hours, for the past few weeks, even for the past few years, all I have been doing is waiting for something; some I didn't even know what.

Tonight, something inside me felt different. Maybe I was just frustrated or tired of waiting, but I managed to stand up, grab a jacket, and sneak out of the front door without my parents seeing me.

I shivered once I hit contact with the cold air and stood at my surroundings in a daze. I felt like I hadn't been outside in fresh air for decades. I felt like a baby taking it's very first steps into the world.

A familiar sleek black mustang pulled onto the curb, and I ran quietly towards it. I wasn't surprised to see the curly hair of Nick Hanson behind the driver's seat. He gave a slight head- nod, but didn't say anything else. He just helped me into the car and drove.

Fast.

Like we didn't have any other care in the world.

And I loved every minute of it.

I stretched my arms out of the car window and spread them as if I were flying. I let the night air splash over my face in shivering waves, and I was so tempted to scream something out into the air, anything actually, but the sense of Nick's stare stopped me.

I turned around to face him, but by then, his eyes were already straight on the road.

Finally, we stopped at an all too familiar dirt road where tall and thick canopy- like trees surrounded us like guards. "The lake," I whispered to myself. Nick, having heard me, nodded slowly as he turned off the car engine.

He came around to my side to open my door, but I had already opened it before he got there. I gave him a smile anyway for trying. He stood there awkwardly and I reached for his hand, taking a leap of faith that he wasn't too angry at me. As my fingers laced through his, he paused for a second and looked down at our joined hands. His eyes flickered with something unreadable and for a second, I thought he was going to pull away.

In the same moment of his hesitation, he wrapped his fingers through mine and squeezed it. I smiled softly and squeezed back as he led me through the forest until we faced the clear crystal blue lake.

The water almost seemed to shimmer like diamonds and glitter as the moonlight reflected off it. My eyes grew wide even though I had seen this lake once before. It was just one of those sights that always completely captured your attention no matter how many times you had seen it before; something you would never get tired of. Never.

"Why did you bring me here?" I asked cautiously as I sneaked a look at Nick. It was only meant to me a glance, but after seeing his smooth porcelain skin and dark curls, I couldn't help but stare. He turned towards me, and I was able to finally see those chocolate brown eyes I loved so much.

"I heard about what happened today. I thought you needed an escape," he explained as he sat down on a clear patch of grass. I took a seat next to him, pulling my knees closer to me. I relaxed as I felt Nick's hand reach for mine again.

"I'm sorry, Miles… About leaving you when you. I just didn't know what to believe. I mean, I believed you from the very beginning. I trusted you, and when the news got out about your fingerprints all over the gun… Well, first I felt stupid for believing you, then I got angry for being so confused… Then I felt stupid for believing anyone else BUT you, and then I got angry at myself for deserting you at a time like this."

"Nick," I tried to stop him, but he didn't seem finished.

"I knew Liam well enough to know that he loved you. And he doesn't love easily. Trust me. He just really wasn't that kind of guy… So a few days ago, I sat right here, on this exact spot, and just thought about everything. Absolutely everything, and I realized that I did believe you… Remember all those times we'd play those games? You'd tell me something about yourself, and then we'd switch off. Well, I think I know you now. And I know that you wouldn't do this."

I nodded slowly, but hesitated feeling guilt rise up in my chest again. I knew I shouldn't hide anything from Nick; I knew I could trust him, but at the same time, I was scared… and confused. How was I going to tell him the truth? Or at least part of the truth, when I refused to accept it myself. By now, all my lies and stories had tangled themselves into the real and absolute truth, and it was all just a big mess of blurs and tangled lines. I couldn't tell which was true anymore, and which wasn't.

"Nick. You don't know me."

I expected him to argue, but instead he just looked straight at me as if there was nothing better to do than capture my attention. "I know you enough."

I looked back into his eyes and felt something rise in my chest. "What if I did do it… killed all those people."

Instead of any hesitation to fill his eyes, they only seemed to soften as he shook his head. "But you didn't. I know you didn't."

"But how can you be so sure?" I asked frustrated.

"Miles," he moved closer so that I could feel the warmth of his breathe on my cheek. For a second, I thought he was going to kiss me, but instead he just leaned forward so our noses were brushing slightly. "I trust you."

I swallowed a lump in my throat and just sat there silently. Finally, not being able to take the silence and stillness anymore… not being able to take the waiting, I stood up and ran to the dock at full speed. I could feel the crunch of leaves, grass, and dirt beneath my bare feet, but I didn't care. This was my one and only night where I was truly free.

"Miley! What are you doing?" I heard Nick's voice shout out as I heard his heavy footsteps following me. Ignoring him, I just ran until I reached the end of the dock, right where the tips of my toes reached the edge of the wooden plank. For a second, it felt like time froze. I could feel a slight breeze skimming my cheek, Nick's echoing screams behind me, and then suddenly, in a single moment, I was floating in the air, like there was no such thing as gravity. My legs were kicking freely along with my arms. And then in another moment, I was surrounded head to toe in water.

I stayed there for a few seconds, letting the water envelop me, before finally kicking myself up to the surface. I rubbed my eyes from the water and cleared my vision enough to see Nick staring at me with a big question mark on his face.

"I would question why, but I feel like with you, there really isn't a reason," he explained out of breath. I broke a soft smile and even laughed a little.

"Jump in," I just said.

He hesitated for just a second before finally pulling his shirt above his head and jumping into the water. I knew from the very first time I saw him that Nick was handsome. Like really handsome. What I never noticed was how fit he was. As he dived into the water with his arms stretched out, I watched in awe as his muscles flexed and stretched out. It amazed me how I never realized the well- built abs on his stomach or the muscles built on his arms.

"What?" he asked as he shook his wet curls.

"Nothing," I blushed, pushing the thought of Nick's muscles to the farthest corner of my mind.

"You know when you first jumped into the water, you want to know the first thing that went through my mind?" he asked as he swam a little closer. I smiled forgetting everything from the past few days. Right now, all I could see was us, and the rest were just blurs in the background.

"No. What?" I whispered softly.

"That you were going to get electrocuted."

"Huh?" I asked confused.

He chuckled to himself, and my gaze was focused on the curve of his lips. It just looked so perfect that I had to wonder how I was ever lucky enough to have him. "Just in case you were wearing those ankle bracelets that beep when you step out of your house."

"I wouldn't have been stupid enough to come here if I did," I grinned.

"Damn. And I thought you just wanted to be with me," he smiled sarcastically. I pushed back his wet locks of hair and smiled.

"That too."

I felt his hand grazed my stomach, and a jolt of energy raced through my body. When I looked up to meet his eyes, I was shaking.

"Are you cold?" he asked feeling me shiver.

I shook my head, wondering if he had any clue on his effect on me. "Nope."

He raised an eyebrow and eventually just smirked. "I'm guessing I don't have to know."

"Nope," I smiled again. He leaned forward slowly, and I knew instantly that he was going to kiss me. My breathing quickened and I felt my heart do cartwheels and cartwheels in my chest. Right before our lips touched, I dunked him into the lake and swam farther down laughing. I felt him grab for my legs, but I managed to slip between his hands and swim further down.

I looked back to see water rippling as he tried to chase after me. Too bad for him, I knew how to swim before I could walk. I kicked my legs harder and pushed myself across the water in a smooth glide. By then, the water was still around me except for small bubbles that I was blowing to even out my breathing. I stopped and opened my eyes underwater too find Nick, but he was nowhere in sight… nothing was.

I pushed my arms down on the water as I tried to break surface. Gasping and coughing as I pulled my head above the water to breathe, I still couldn't find Nick. The whole lake was still, umoving, silent… I seemed to be the only one moving or breathing for miles. I scanned the crystal blue lake, waiting for Nick to pop out from the water, but after a few minutes, it was still as stationary as it had been before. Not a single movement.

"Nick!" I screamed out starting to get worried. I looked out onto the dock to see if he had swam back, but I had gone too far into the lake to see land clearly. From where I was threading water, the dock and surrounded brush were being swallowed up by complete darkness. "NICK!" I screamed again as I tried to swim back to land.

A shuffle of leaves to my right caught my attention, and I wondered if Nick was watching me right now. My breathing had quickened to a quick pace, and I had to tell myself to breathe. My heart was slamming and slamming in my chest like a million drums beating at once, and I felt my legs cramping up in the process. "NICK!" I screamed again, but there was still no answer.

Frustrated, I dove back into the water so the swim back to land would be faster. I tried my best to concentrate on a breast stroke, but my attention kept wandering to the fact if Nick was okay or not. He had to be… he just had to.

Suddenly, something in the corner of my eye, caught my attention. At the bottom of the lake was a shape or twisted form of what looked like a body. I opened my mouth slightly to scream, but water filled it immediately as I almost choked myself. I calmed myself down before diving even further into the ice- cold lake, and the body seemed unmoving.

"God, please don't let this happen. Not again," I thought to myself as I approached the body. Images of Nick filled my mind. Every single one, he had been next to me, comforting me, helping me… He didn't deserve this. He couldn't be dead… Not yet.

But as I swam closer, I knew it wasn't Nick. It couldn't be. The hair was straighter… much straighter. The body was shorter and skinnier than Nick's also. His face wasn't right either. Thought it was hard to tell. The skin around the cheeks were rotting away and maggots and small creatures were already eating away at the flesh. The body's eyes were wide open as they dropped out of the eye sockets for a few inches. The hands were gripped into fists and inside the fists was a butcher knife that still traced a hint of dried blood. On the victim's arms were gaping open wounds; it was so deep that it had pierced the other side of the skin. The wounds and cuts looked infected as yellow puss had mixed with the blood and spread onto their body. The wrists had been cut open so wide that I could see the signs of bone underneath the flesh. It was so gruesome that it felt as if I were enduring the pain the body had when it had received those open flesh wounds.

What disgusted me even more was its position. It was standing completely straight up underwater as if it were truly walking on the lake's surface, almost as if it were still alive. As if instinctively, my hand reached out towards the decaying body, but as my fingers were inches before it, the body collapsed on me. The head fell open as it hit my shoulder and I could feel the maggots that had invaded its face begin to crawl on my own skin.

The butcher knife in its hands grazed my leg and I felt it pierce my skin enough to let blood flow out. The water around my legs diffused a deep red as I felt blood trickle down my leg. The dead body was toppled over me so much that I almost lost my balance. For a second, I thought I was going to drown… I thought I was going to die.

Shaking away the thought, I kicked the already broken body off me as I pushed my feet up. Luckily, the water seemed to cause it to float upwards with small maggots and pieces of flesh and bone surrounding it like decaying clouds.

I bit my tongue to keep from screaming and turned the other way, not being able to look at it for another minute. My lungs were on fire as I used up all the strength I had left to push myself closer and closer to the surface.

Almost.

There.

Finally, I felt air enter my lungs as I swung my head into the cool night air. I choked and threw up everything inside me… So much that after, I felt empty. I opened my eyes to see that I wasn't too far off land, and kicked my feet even through the pain until I felt my hands grasp onto dirt and grass.

I pulled myself onto dry land and placed my hand over my racing heart, trying to find a way to calm it down. It was going so fast that I thought it was going to explode out of my chest. My lungs were burning with such intensity that I thought they would collapse and burn through my whole body, eating me up until I was just ash.

"Nick," I mumbled out as it were the only word I knew left. At first there was nothing, and I really believed that I was going to die right there.

Then a shuffle of footsteps sounded from behind where I was lying down, and suddenly Nick's distraught and frightened face was all I could see. His hands grasped onto the back of my neck, and I ended up coughing up more water as he tried to help me sit up. After realizing, I couldn't move, he laid me back down and cradled my head in his lap.

"I'm so sorry, Miles. I knew I shouldn't have let you swim. God. I'm sorry. I don'-"

"Nick!" I stuttered out, trying to control my body from shaking, but it was like I wasn't in control of my own body anymore.

"Miles. What is it? Talk to me?" he nearly shouted out in desperation. I grabbed his hands and tried to clear my words out.

"There," I pointed out back into the lake. "Nick. There's a body."

"A body in the lake?" he asked, his eyes widening. I nodded, but my lungs were too much in fire to say anything else.

I finally was able to stutter out the words, "Dead."

He squeezed my hands and hugged my body to his as he tried his best to warm me up; to make me feel better, but I could already feel my body giving in as water was rising up in my throat again. Through the searing and excruciating burning throughout my whole body, I was able to get out another word before the world went black.

"Patrick."

* * *

_**A/N: **__** Sorry for another cliff- hanger, but it's my kind of writing style. Mwuhahaha. :) **_

_**And sorry, but the next chapter might take a few days. I'm going out of town for a few days starting tomorrow. But i promise to get to writing the minute I get back. And one more thing...**_

_**I LOVE YOU GUYSSSSSS SO EFFING MUCH. 20 REVIEWS LAST CHAPTER! TWENTY FREAKIN REVIEWS FOR ONE CHAPTER. I died. THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU. That is double than the usual. I love you guys.**_

_**And I wanted to give a special shoutout to SmileyxJonas because she's always supporting this story and spreading it around. Love her to death. 3 :)**_

_**And thank you for those who have long reviews and always review every chapter. You guys mean the world to me. That's why I'll try my best to upload the next chapter ASAP. I think this story has at least 5 more chapter in it if not a little more. We'll see how it goes. And tell me what you think happened or will happen. I love seeing your predictions. **_


	21. Chapter 20: The Truths About Thank You's

_**A/n: Sorry for how late this is. I have A LOT of family visiting plus I had writers' block. And I don't want to write much here, but say...**_

_**THANK YOU FOR OVER 200 REVIEWS! And before I uploaded Chapter 20 too. I love ya guys. :) ANd I wanted to give shoutouts to some people who have been reviewing from the very beginning: **_**Mossface from Windclan, MusicLoveNiley, LollipopFandom, SarahB, arubagirl0926, mcandnj61106, . Jonas, YaY3, nickandtaylor4life, Over- Bridges, and so much more.**

_**Also one shout- out to **_**JemiObsessed/ DemiRawks**_** for her amazing reviews that always really make my day. AND always talking about it on twitter causing more people to read. ILOVEYOU3**_

_**And thank you to EVERYONE who has read the story, even to those who don't review. I LOVE YOU ALL LIKE CAKE. 3**_

* * *

_**May 6th, 2010 (11: 47 P.M.) **__**{Present- Day} **_

I blinked my eyes a few times and at first all I could see was red… and red… and more red. I blinked a bit more until my vision cleared enough to see it was a flashing light. Suddenly, I became aware of the authoritative voices around me, along with sirens, and the screaming of orders. I also became aware of the wool blanket wrapped around my shoulders and the hand that was rubbing my back softly, in a comforting way.

I looked up to see Nick's eyes straight at me. My head was gently resting on his shoulder as I took in my surroundings in more, but Nick reached over and brushed away a strand of hair causing me to stop and just look at him, to question him what was going on. "Shhh," he tried to whisper calmly. "It's going to be okay."

"What?" I croaked out as if I hadn't talked in years. Suddenly, I felt the pain like a blazing fire. My lungs. My legs. My arms. And then in a single moment, everything came back to me. Nick driving me here, his apology, jumping into the lake, playing around in the lake, the dead body… My face crumpled into a pained expression and Nick noticed instantly.

"Shh. You'll be home soon," he whispered as he continued to rub my back. He was trying to calm me down, but I felt like throwing up, and my head was pounding so badly that I thought a vein was about to pop.

"What's going on?" I asked again, but a voice interrupted me before Nick could answer.

"Hello, Ms. Stewart," Detective Widlen exclaimed as he approached us with two other officers beside him. I felt Nick tense next to me.

"Hi," I mumbled softly.

"I know you've had a rough night, but I have a few questions to ask you."

I began to nod, but Nick interrupted me. "Can this wait? She's really tired, and I think all she needs now is to get home."

Detective Wilden's head snapped at Nick as he flashed him an icy stare. "I don't think I was talking to you, Mr. Hason."

I could feel Nick's hand on my back curl into a fist, and I put my own hand on his arm to calm him. "It's okay," I mumbled so softly that only Nick could hear. I could hear him grumble a few curse words, but his argument seemed to stop there.

"I'll go get the car so we can go home," Nick explained, making an emphasis on the 'go home' part. I watched him go, looking back a few times as if making sure I was still alright. Finally, I turned back to Detective Wilden.

"What's going on? Is he really… dead?" I asked cautiously even though I already knew the answer.

"I'm asking the questions, Ms. Stewart."

I snapped my mouth shut and was reminded of how much I hated him. "Fine."

"Did you know Patrick Nelson well?"

I shut my eyes and felt my chest tighten. It really was Patrick. When I first saw those dark waves of hair, I knew it was him… but now… with official confirmation, I felt myself feel remorse. Even through everthing he had done to me, I still felt sorry for him. He was young. He had problems. He just made bad choices.

"I don't know," I shrugged as I tried to keep my body in control. "I knew him from a few classes. We weren't the closest friends, but we weren't strangers."

"Did he ever show any strange behavior?"

I stiffened and held my breath. "I… I mean, I didn't know him well enough, but there were some moments," I replied quickly, and flashes of his hands around my wrists… shaking me until I almost lost consciousness… always knowing to get me coffee on a cold day. "But it wasn't that bad," I finished gulping. I didn't know why I was defending him, but for some reason, it felt like the right thing to do… Maybe it was because I knew him better than anyone else.

Finally, I broke my gaze from my lap and turned to look at Detective Wilden straight in the eye. "Did he.. do it?"

"Commit suicide? Yes," he nodded. I looked back down and nodded. "Well, we believe so. The only fingerprints found on the butcher knife were his own. There are no signs of a struggle either."

I nodded again like I didn't know what else to do. "And there was also something else," Detective Wilden continued, but there was a change in his tone.

I looked up to face him as I waited.

"On his arm," he started slowly, and I couldn't help but remember the open wounds and scars trailing his arms that I had seen underwater. "He had cut himself using the butcher knife."

"I know-"

Detective Wilden stopped me. "He cut his arm in the form of the numbers _3 16._"

I froze up as I realized what that meant. I couldn't meet his eyes as I kept my gaze on my lap. I felt his eyes on me, but I didn't have the strength to look up. This was my fault. It was all my fault.

Detective Wilden continued. "It's the date of—"

"It's the date of the school shooting," I finished in a soft almost inaudible whisper.

"Yes," he nodded. Even though I couldn't see his face, I could tell he was looking at me curiously. He suspected me to be part of what had happened. And in a way, I knew it was true.

"Have you contacted his parents?" I asked, remembering how they hadn't cared when he had ran away from home.

Detective Wilden ignored my question, and continued asking me questions about what I knew about Patrick. I answered to the best of my ability, yet at the same time, keeping it vague, not revealing too much. Surprisingly, talking about him hurt. Memories and pain and even some laughs filled my mind. He commited suicide from all the pressure of what was going on. He had to.

I should have seen it coming when he was about to leave the court room earlier today. His face… it was a mixture of fear and then acceptance and finally defeat. He knew what was coming, and he also knew the only way to escape it.

I froze up, feeling myself lose control of my body as I began to shake uncontrollably. Detective Wilden didn't need to ask why as we both watched the deceased body zipped up in a full sized body bag being pushed on a stretcher. The stench of death filled my senses, and I had to bite my lip from screaming and crying. I watched as they lifted the body carelessly; as if he were a piece of garbage instead of a person; a real life person. Not being able to look at it any longer, I twisted my head so that it was facing the clear blue lake. It amazed me that even through all the chaos erupting around it, the water still looked inevitably calm.

From the corner of my eye, I suddenly saw Nick pull up with his mustang, and I couldn't help but sigh knowing that in a few minutes I would be with him soon. In a few minutes, I would be safe. Luckily, one of the officers next to Wilden whispered something quietly in his ear, and I knew he had to go.

I stood up slowly, ignoring the pain stabbing itself throughout my body, and just wanting to get out of here. Before turning to go, a hand grabbed onto my arm tightly. I winced from the added pain and turned around to meet Wilden's heated gaze.

"Don't think you're completely off the hook, Ms. Stewart. This incident is going to erupt into so much more than you think. Breaking bail rules and being involved with another dead body aren't very respected in a small community like this."

I stood there frozen, not knowing what to say. I knew from the second I saw the body that I had gone too deep into all of this. I knew my life was over. I would never see anybody from my old life again. Finally, I stiffly nodded and somehow was finally able to make my feet move over to Nick's waiting car.

"Hey," he whispered quickly. He didn't move, but instead he sat there and watched me. I don't think he knew what I wanted right now. To clear up his doubts, I placed my hand on his and watched as he slowly intertwined his fingers through mine. Finally, I felt a wave of relief and relaxation cover me from head to toe. This was where I was supposed to be.

"Take me home?" I asked, leaning my head back into the smooth leather seats. I was already beginning to close my eyes from the exhaustion that weighed them down, but I felt Nick's lips press onto my forehead right before I slipped into a world of dreams. "Thank you," I managed to whisper out.

"For what?" he asked, and I could hear the confusion in his voice.

Right before I felt myself loosing hold of reality, I squeezed his hand as if he were the only thing keeping me on the ground and whispered, "For being here… with me."

The familiar worlds catapulted me to a serene and mystic dream world, but instead of dreams, my mind was overwhelmed by memories, to a time before the shooting, to a time when Liam and I were actually in love and happy; to a time when we actually believed we were on top of the world.

* * *

_**February 28th, 2010 (1: 25 P.M.) **_

_I grabbed an eager hand to get a cookie from the baking pan and munched on it cheerfully as I swung my legs back and forth, feeling like a kid again. Next to me, Snort was sitting there awkwardly as if he weren't sure what exactly to do. I had invited him over a few hours ago, because everyone else had been busy with whatever they had to do. Selena had some weird lacrosse party for winning the championship game, Demi was hanging out with Joe (OBVIOUSLY), and Liam was off practicing for a marathon for like the 5th time this week. I guess I was the only one who didn't have a social life._

_"You want a cookie?" I asked Snort as I motioned towards the full tray. "We didn't bake them for nothing."_

_Not knowing what to do, we rummaged through the kitchen until we found a cookie batter mix and decided to make some. Well, actually, it was more like me doing everything and him just standing there not knowing what to do._

_"Oh right," he snapped out as he grabbed for a cookie with burnt edges. I watched amused as he took a first bite cautiously as if scared at how it would taste. I watched even more amused as his face seemed to light up after chewing and swallowing. "Wow. This is amazing."_

_"You've never had a chocolate chip cookie?" I asked with a raised eyebrow._

_He shook his head. "My parents are really strict. They won't let anything go into my system aside from vegetables, fruit, and basically anything organic." Well, that explains his frail, outmuscled figure._

_"Sucks," I mumbled, taking another bite into my cookie, and sighing in bliss as the chocolate chips melted on my tongue._

_"Yeah, they do," he mumbled back. I hadn't been talking about his parents, but I decided it was better to not comment. I laughed as he reached over for another cookie. "What?" he asked confused as he took a huge bite that basically finished half the cookie for him._

_"Nothing," I shook my head, even though I kept giggling. He gave me a weird look before finally taking another huge bit and finishing the cookie. "Well, at least I know what to get you on your birthday."_

_"Shut up," he mumbled through a grin as he reached for another cookie. I laughed easily, and was surprised at how comfortable it was with him. Maybe it was because I knew he wasn't expecting anything from me. I didn't have to watch what I was doing or saying every few minutes to make sure I wasn't doing anything wrong, like what I did with Liam's more popular friends. Here, I could be myself freely. No restraints._

_My mom walked in looking very professional in a pure black suit and grabbed a cookie on the counter. She waved to me before noticing that there was someone else in the house. "Oh. Hi!" she jumped up as she saw Patrick shying away next to me. I was starting to get that he wasn't a people person._

_"Mom. This is… um, call him Snort," I introduced awkwardly, knowing that he probably wouldn't have said anything if I didn't._

_Mom hesitated and looked him up to down before finally breaking into a friendly motherly smile. "Oh. Well nice to meet you. Miley rarely brings friends here. Aside from Selena and… what's the other girl? The pale one?"_

_"Demi," I reminded her laughing. She was horrible at remembering names. Especially Demi's. She would always refer to her when she had forgotten as 'the pale one'. Surprisingly, Snort broke into a soft chuckle next to me. It was so casual… so… normal._

_Mom looked at him again. "So how do you know Miley?"_

_For some reason, he seemed more comfortable as he kept his gaze up instead of on his lap. "We have a few classes together."_

_"He," I patted his shoulder lightly. "is the reason I passed that cinematography class I was complaining about for months."_

_Mom's eyes widened. "No way. We owe you big time. I'm not sure Miley would have been able to graduate without you," she joked._

_"Thanks for the support, Mom," I laughed, rolling my eyes. Mom reached her arm over and shook my hair causing it to fall in frizzy waves over my forehead._

_"You know I love you, hun," she smiled. I could feel Patrick's gaze on us, and I turned towards him to see something fill his face. It was almost shock with a slight hint of awe. It was like we were the most alien thing to him right now._

_"Well, I have to go, guys," Mom finally exclaimed as she grabbed her bag and keys. I turned in my chair._

_"You're going to work now?"_

_"Just meeting with a client. I'll be back in a few hours. And I'm making your favorite for dinner."_

_"Bacon?" I giggled. Mom rolled her eyes as she grabbed an apple from the kitchen counter to eat later._

_"No. Then I guess your second favorite… AND maybe a bit of the first favorite on the side. Maybe."_

_"Did I mention how much I love ya?" I teased._

_Mom laughed casually and told me a few emergency numbers as if I were still 12 before kissing me on the head. "I'll see you later. It was nice meeting you Patrick. You should stay for dinner later."_

_"I.. um… sure," he mumbled. Mom flashed him a reassuring grin before disappearing down the hallway and leaving for work. I turned back around in my chair and was already on my second cookie when Patrick blurted out. "Is it always like that? With your mom, I mean."_

_I shrugged not really understanding the question. "Yeah. I guess. Like I know we're kind of freaks, but it's fun. She feels more like a friend than a mom to me, you know?"_

_But he seemed like he didn't. His mind seemed to be somewhere else. "Interesting," was all he mumbled._

_"So, what about your parents? Aren't they some big business people?" I asked, remembering seeing their famous family advertisement posters everywhere. They owned this huge company that manufactured cameras. That must have been where he got his interest in cinematography came from. "That must be cool."_

_He shrugged in an 'I guess so' way. Although, I knew he was hesitant on the topic, I couldn't help but continue the urge to push on. "So where are they now?"_

_"LA… or maybe it was Chicago… I can't remember," he explained softly._

_"Do you guys… talk much?" I asked, my voice thick with curiosity._

_"No," he answered matter- of- factly. "They don't really have much time left for me."_

_"Why?"_

_"Because of work."_

_"Oh."_

_I sat there awkwardly, letting a silence fill the room. Patrick was the first one to break it. "Let's just say that my family and I have been strangers ever since I was 7."_

_"What happened when you were 7?" I asked._

_He ignored the question and looked behind him. "Do you want to watch a movie?"_

_I blinked a few times. I was still a little dazed from the conversation, but I managed to nod. "Um. Sure. I have some DVDs."_

_"Anything loud," he explained as he stood up from his chair. "I don't want to think anymore."_

_I nodded completely understanding and walked into the living room. I picked a Mission Impossible movie knowing it was probably the loudest one I had. He sat on the couch next to me stiffly, and I followed sitting next to him, but giving enough space between us to not make it awkward._

_We watched the movie in complete silence, only letting the blaring sounds of gun shots, screams, and explosions fill our ears. For most of the movie, I had been watching him the entire time. Not making it obvious by just occasionally sneaking peeks from the side of my vision. He was frozen still and his eyes were glued to the TV. By the time, the credits started playing, his phone began to ring._

_He gave me an apologetic look though I didn't know why. It wasn't like it was in his control. He stood up and walked back to the now empty kitchen to carry on his conversation. I stayed seated on the couch with my feet tucked under me, waiting awkwardly for his return._

_From where I was sitting, I could hear a few grumbles and sighs. As it went on, Snort's voice grew higher and louder. The words became clearer and more prominent. Now, I could make out the words, "AGAIN? But I thought-… Dad. Mom… It's going to kill her… Disappointed in me? Shut up… shut up… SHUT UP!" the last words ringing through the deadly silent house. I bit my lips and turned my head back around, erasing any sign that I had been listening. When I heard his approaching footsteps, I swiveled my torso to face him and smiled encouragingly. "Are you okay?"_

_He dropped his shoulders in a deep sigh and shook his head. He crumpled into a weak mess onto my couch and kept his gaze in his hands._

_"Do you want to talk about it?" I asked, suddenly feeling an urge to make him feel better. Anything to erase that helpless and upset expression embedded all over his face._

_He flinched from my words as if they were words he did not know. "You are so lucky, do you know that?"_

_Pictures of my friends, my parents, and Liam fill my mind. All of them positive memories of them just being there for me, to make me laugh or smile. "I wouldn't say lucky, but I'm happy."_

_"Your life… it's so… open. You have so many choices ahead of you. And people who will be there for you the whole way," he smiled tensely. I listened intently. This was the most he had opened up to me since I had first met him. For some reason, I felt a little uncomfortable… almost… undeserving._

_"My life… it's laid out for me. Even when I don't want it. And when I try to fight against it, I just cause more disappointment."_

_"Forget about those other people. The first person you should think about disappointing is yourself. It's your life. You have choices," I tried to explain. His lips twisted into a melancholy smile as if he didn't really understand my words._

_"It's not that easy… My family… they're really messed up. Let's just say that," he said, not able to meet my eyes. I froze up from his words. From my own family, I never found a reason to hurt them or hate them. Of course, we had fights; we've disagreed; I've been angry, but I never said anything that I knew would hurt._

_"I'm sorry," I only mumbled back in response._

_He nodded slowly. "You shouldn't be."_

_Instead of questioning why, I just stood up, wanting to get away from the sadness that filled the room. "What about we leave and go do something? I know a good ice- cream place," I smiled._

_And finally, through the depressing haze suffocating us, a small smile broke on his face. I stood up taking that as a yes, and turned around surprised as he stayed sitting down. For a few moments, we just watched each other. His almost coal- black pupils staring back to my own gray eyes. Finally, he broke the still silence with the softest and most tender tone that I couldn't help but feel my heart twist inside my chest._

_"Thank you," he said in a soft lingering whisper._

_"For what?" I asked confused._

_He stood up slowly and stood next to me, yet staring at the distance; almost as if a far away place that he could only admire but never touch. "For being here… with me."_


	22. Chapter 21: The Truths About Others

_**May 7th, 2010 (8: 10 A.M.) **__**{Present- Day}**_

Groggily, I reached out a frustrated arm and felt around for my phone on my bedside table. It had been ringing all night. I felt the cool metal slip between my fingers as I pressed the off button and watched the screen shut black.

"Finally," I grumbled and rolled around my bed so I was facing my half- open window instead of the door and walls that held me in. I tried my shut my eyes, hoping that I could enter the blissful world of dreams again, away from reality… away from everything… , but my mind was already busy working to fall back to sleep. Groaning, I sat up in bed and untangled my legs from the blankets. I walked into the bathroom and got ready for today; though I wasn't really doing anything.

When Nick had finally dropped me off last night, I knew from the way my parents looked at me, that they already knew about what happened. They didn't say anything, and even their attempts of comfort just seemed distant and awkward. They didn't say anything else to me, but that was even worse. It was like they didn't know what to do with me anything; almost like they didn't want to do anything.

As I reached for a comb and ran the brisled teeth through my waves of honey brown hair, I couldn't help but let my mind wander to Patrick. He was gone. He was finally gone.

I waited for the flood of relief to wash over me, but nothing came.

Waiting…

Waiting…

Still nothing.

Pushing back my hair to one side , I finally brought my eyes back to the mirror. My reflection stared back at me with the same blank stare as if it were holding its breath. I brought a gentle finger to the glass as if scared that the mirror would shatter underneath my touch. I scanned my dull eyes that looked so far- away from reality; my paler than normal skin; and finally the scar that trailed the side of my face to a spot right above my chin. I must have scratched my skin when pulling myself onto shore.

I looked down and noticed a bandage around my leg, and remembered the butcher knife that had cut into my skin when Patrick's body had collapsed on me. I shuddered and moved away from the mirror and decided to take a quick shower instead.

After washing and drying my hair, I finally made my way downstairs. I tip- toed down quietly as if scared I would wake someone… almost as if I was a stranger in my house.

"Miley?" my mom's sweet voice carried out onto the staircase. Her head popped out of the kitchen with a fake smile. She was trying too hard to seem fine, and I hated it.

"Morning," she greeted again as she watched me walk into the kitchen closely. My dad was sitting at the table with the paper and a plate of eggs in front of him. "Morning, Mi," he greeted as well. I gave a slight nod of recognition, and sat at the table silently, not knowing what to do.

"How did you sleep?" Mom asked as she took the seat next to me. Her pale blonde hair was tied in a messy bun and for once, she was dressed in sweats instead of something more formal. She grabbed my hand to comfort me, but I uncomfortably slipped my hand away from hers. Pain and hurt flashed through her eyes, and I started wondering if I ever did anything right.

"Fine," I mumbled back.

"Do you want to talk about last night?" she asked trying to sound calm and reassuring. It didn't work.

I shook my head and slipped out of my chair to exit the room and the awkward tension that surrounded it, but my dad's voice stopped me. "Miley Ray Stewart. Do not walk away from your mother. I know you're very stressed with the… situation, but you are not the only one hurting right now. And I really wish you'd have the respect to listen to someone else other than yourself."

I froze up hearing my dad have that tone of… anger.. frustration in his voice. He had always been the calm chill one while my mom did all the worrying for all of us. I tried to slip back into my chair, but my mom held up a hand.

"It's fine, honey. If you're more comfortable upstairs, you can go. We can talk later," she smiled sadly, and I couldn't help but have an urge to wrap my arms around her and thank her for being there; and apologizing for my behavior. I couldn't help it. But I held the urge back and simply nodded. Right before I was about to exit the room, her voice called out again.

"Oh wait. Judge Harrison called. She wants to … speak with you privately," my mom explained, trying to keep the fear and worry from entering her voice. I stopped already knowing what she must want to talk about.

"But I thought bail rules said I couldn't get out of the house," I reminded them.

Dad looked up from his paper. "They've dropped it for now. Since court is in a few days... It looked like you didn't like the rule very well anyway."

Yup. He was pissed.

I snapped my mouth shut wanting to say something, to defend myself… but I knew it was no use. I didn't deserve forgiveness. I knew what I was doing when I jumped in and followed Nick. I had been the one to jump into the lake first.

"Can Nick or Demi drop me off at the court house then?"

"Um… I think it would be better if we brought you. You can talk to them later," Mom explained slowly. I stayed silent slowly realizing why they wanted to drive me. Not because they wanted me with them, but instead, because they didn't trust me.

They didn't trust me.

The realization slammed into my like a truck and I almost nearly stumbled from the fact. Somehow, I was able to find the strength to nod as I turned around and got ready to meet one of the people who had my life and faith in her hands.

* * *

**_March 10th, 2010 (9: 10 A.M.)_**

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU 'FORGOT'?" I yelled out frustrated as we were about to enter the main school building for our next period. I had been trying to ignore Liam all day, but he just wouldn't give up.

"I'm sorry, Miles. I was running and training for the marathon in a couple of weeks, and I completely lost track of time. You know how I am," he tried to smile teasingly. He knew what that smile of his did to me, but I wasn't going to fall for it this time. It had been the third time he's 'forgotten' about meeting up with me, and I was getting sick and tired of it. If football wasn't already taking up enough of his time, running and training for this stupid marathon sure was. I was lucky if I got to see him once or twice a week. And not to mention we spend the time we do have together for yelling and fighting. Everything was falling apart.

"So you're saying some marathon is more important than me? Thanks. I think I understand now," I spit back with as much venom as I could manage.

He grabbed my arm pulling me towards him. I could feel other student's eyes on us, but at the moment I couldn't care less. This must have been our third fight in the past week and every time we always had to catch everyone's attention. Sometimes I wished Liam didn't have to be so popular. In moments and situations like these, it was better to go unnoticed.

"You know it's not like that."

"I don't know anymore. To be honest," I answered back frustrated.

"What is up with you lately? You've been getting pissed at every little thing I do!" he finally answered back, throwing his arms up in emphasis.

"ME? What's up with ME recently? Oh, I'm sorry for my over- reacting. My boyfriend just always seems to be ditching me these days for some stupid race."

"It's not just a 'stupid race'," he mocked my tone. "It's a marathon that I've been training for, for a very long time."

"A LONG TIME? You started training for this thing a month ago! And as far as I remember, we've been dating for what? TWO YEARS."

"GOD!" he screamed out letting the frustration and fury in his voice roll out on his tongue. "Do you honestly have to make every single thing I do about you?"

I stepped back hurt. "I don't do that."

"YES YOU DO," he shook his head as if I were a child that didn't understand. "Liam. You have football practice. What about me and our relationship! Liam. You're running again? What about me and hanging out in the same effing place we do every other night."

I took another step back as his words slammed into me. "A relationship is two people Liam. And right now, I feel like I'm the only one here."

"I'm not trying to do this to you! You're getting paranoid. A friend of mine said—"

"You're talking to your friends about us, and you don't even talk to me about it…" I said softly. He used to tell me everything, but in the recent weeks, our conversations had begun to get shallower and shallower. Everything was unraveling into something I didn't want anymore.

"Yeah, Mi. I do. Since she seems to be the only person who does listen to me. You're never calm enough to let me talk to you… seriously."

I stopped and looked up to meet his soft gray eyes, almost the same color as mine. "You said, she. Who are you talking to about us? Demi? Selena? Emily?"

He stopped as if retracting his words. "No. She's outside of school. You don't know her," he shook his head. I felt my heart squeeze in my chest.

"So you tell a complete stranger that I don't even know about us. Great. I get it… God. Finally, I get it." I turned to walk away, knowing I was already late to my next class.

"Miley," he repeated desperately as he held my arm tightly. This time, his touch didn't send tingles down my spine or send my heart beating 30 times faster than it was supposed to. It was amazing how things change over time.

"Liam," I said, my voice softening. I didn't want to scream anymore. I waited for him to say something, anything… to make me believe that we were still the two young innocent love- struck kids we were two years ago, but he didn't say anything. I don't think he had anything to say.

"Are you still angry?" he finally blurted out.

I shook my head knowing that the anger had subsided, and its place, disappointed settled in.

"So what does this make us?" he asked awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I don't know."

"I still love you, you know," he whispered trying to take a step forward. I didn't move, but instead kept my gaze locked on my converse sneakers.

"I just think we need some time."

"But—" he started as he grabbed for my arm again, knowing that I would try to escape. I looked at his long fingers wrapped around my arm and sighed.

"Please, Liam… Let me go."

And he did… If I only really knew how much I meant those words.

* * *

_**May 7th, 2010 (10: 26 A.M.) **__** {Present- Day}**_

A security guard escorted me down a polished hallway and I the only thing pulsing through my mind were fear, overwhelming memories, and the echoing of my heeled boots on the marble floor; my lucky pair.

"This way," the security guard huffed roughly as he motioned towards a wooden door with a golden plat on top spelling out the words Lissa Harrison in a smooth cursive. The security guard gave me a look of warning as if making sure he could trust me, before sauntering back down the hallway and onto his usual spot at the front desk. I turned my gaze back around to meet the door and knocked softly… Almost wishing that no one heard it.

"It's open," a sweet high voice carried out. I opened the door hesitantly as if not sure who to find on the other side, but there sitting on the desk was Judge Harrison herself. Except this time, instead of wearing her long flowing black robe, she was wearing a pair of loose jeans and a t- shirt. She looked so… normal.

"Hi," I mumbled, still blinking to make sure I had been led to the right room… Maybe even to the right woman.

"Ms. Stewart," she stood up gracefully and nodded to me. The sweetness and care laced in her voice surprised me. It wasn't just for me, but rather it was a natural part of her. "Take a seat," she motioned towards the tan leather chair in front of her.

After sitting down, she took a seat herself with her arms crossed over her chest. "How are you?"

"About all of this? I guess, I'm—"

"No," she interrupted me, leaning forward. "How are you… right now? At this moment? What are you feeling?"

I smiled sadly. "Right now, Judge Harrison, I think they're both connected."

She mirrored my own melancholy smile and nodded. "Call me Lissa for now, and yes. I guess so."

"I guess… I feel scared, unsure, confused. Like I don't know what to feel anymore… if that makes any sense," I sighed slowly. For some reason, I didn't feel like I needed to hold anything back. I actually believed I could trust her, but from past experiences, I knew even my own heart could be wrong.

"I've heard about you, you know. In town. And—" she cut herself off and paused. "All I've heard is amazing things. That's why I don't understand why we're sitting here right now… why you were sitting in that courtroom a few days ago."

I nodded, not knowing what else to say. Lissa continued for me. "I had a niece. Samantha Harrison. Or Sammy, as most people called her. She knew you; I don't know if you remember her…"

My mind shuffled for a Samantha Harrison, but nothing came to my mind. Taking my silence as an answer, she continued. "You once gave her a drawing, a sketch, of yours. The exact story of how or why you had given it to her, I don't know, but I do know that it meant enough for her to put it on her wall. She's had it for awhile. I think it's still up there now."

Suddenly, a soft flash of memory passed through my mind. Samantha Harrison…_ A pair of Liam's obnoxious football friends were trying to flirt/ tease with her in the art room. I had come in to drop off a sketch in my portfolio. Most freshmans would most probably have returned the flirting or felt flattered that some high school seniors took an interest in them, but not Sam. Her face said it all. She looked horrified and uncomfortable._

_I had walked over and flipped off Liam's friends. Knowing that messing with me meant messing with Liam, they walked away grumbling curse words. I also remember the look of relief that passed her face as she watched them walk away, and the look of complete and utter awe that inhabited her eyes as she looked at me._

_"Thank you," the curly- haired freshman mumbled meekly._

_"No problem," I smiled as I prepared to walk away, but her voice stopped me. This time luckily with a bit more confidence._

_"Hey. You dropped this!" she called out as she picked up the sketch from the tiled floor. I could see her eyes flutter wide as she stared at the plain pencil sketch of town I had created on a bored day last night. The people and buildings and laughs that carried out in the night air just gave me a spark of inspiration to grab a leaf of paper and a pencil._

_"Wow," she sighed. "This is amazing. It looks so real."_

_"Thanks," I smiled. "You can have it if you want."_

_"Really?" her dark chestnut eyes grew larger. I nodded again, and her face blossomed into a huge smile as if I had just given her the world._

_"Thank you," she said for the second time before I flashed her a smile and walked out the door._

"I remember her," I finally explained. A small smile crept on Lissa's lips. "She was really nice."

"Yeah. She is."

"How is she?" I asked, wondering why I had never found a reason to talk to her after that.

Hurt and pain flashed through the exhausted- looking judge's eyes, and she looked down at her desk before answering. "She's gone."

I froze up wondering if there was any way I could take those words back. Detective WIlden's words on the first in court echoed in my mind. _The judge's niece died in that shooting._ That must be why Detective Wilden was so confident in winning this case. The woman in front of me thought I was responsible for her niece's death.

"I'm sorry," I whispered out. "I'm so sorry."

Something flashed in her eyes again, but this time I couldn't read it. "I remember how excited she was in high school. I had gone shopping with her the week before school started. She wanted to get everything," she laughed softly. "She was such an amazing girl," she said even softer.

I swallowed back a lump in my throat and just simply nodded. Her eyes finally met mine as she asked, "You lost someone that day too. Didn't you?"

"Yeah… I did," I explained softly. It still hurt to talk about it. I wondered if it would ever stop. "One of my close friends, Kevin. And my … my boyfriend, Liam Perry."

"Right," she nodded. "It must have been hard."

"It was."

"That's what I really don't know what we're doing here, sitting here right now. Why we're both in this situation."

"I don't know either," I shrugged.

"Miley. Just tell me the truth. Were you involved in any of this?" she asked seriously. "You can trust me… This can all end right here. Just tell me… the truth."

I opened my mouth, but nothing would come out. Nothing. The words were lost somewhere in my throat. But I knew the answer.

Yes.

Lissa looked disappointed from my silence as she finally sat up. "I think we're done here. I just needed to meet you. Not the blank Miley I saw in court or the super amazing Miley I hear about in school. Just you," she finally explained as she led me out the door.

"I'm sorry if you didn't get what you wanted," I answered, standing up myself. I was starting to wish I had told her the truth. Maybe she could have helped me… Because right now, the realization hit me. I was the one and sole living and breathing person who knew the truth about the shooting.

Lissa led me to the door and opened it. "I'll see you in two days, I guess. And enjoy the time before. Life should never be taken for granted."

I nodded, having learned that lesson a few months ago when the gun shots had been first fired… when I saw Liam lying limp in my arms. I also understood what she meant by that… Enjoy my time before I spend the rest of it behind bars. Of course. No one had trust in me.

"And I'm sorry," I turned around as I was a few feet outside the door. "I'm sorry about Samantha."

Lissa smiled softly. "You make it sound like it was really your fault."

I gulped knowing this was as much of the truth I could give her. "I know."

* * *

_**(12: 10 P.M.)**_

I threw my bag on the floor as I collapsed lying back down on the couch. My mom and dad had gone to work and Nick, Demi, Joe, and Selena were probably all still in school. It still bothered me that Selena and I hadn't talked. I made a note to myself to try to contact her again later. Demi tried contacting me earlier, and she had made plans to hang out with my last day before the last trial. I didn't really have much of a choice in answers, so I said yes. Nick was going also, so it wouldn't be too bad.

Right as I was about to drift off to sleep, a loud ringing from the doorbell woke me up and wiped away all signs of sleep from my mind. I swung my legs over the couch and walked over to the door where my visitor was waiting.

"Mrs. Perry," I almost gasped out as the tall pale blonde lady stepped onto my porch. "Come in," I motioned towards the living room, but she stayed frozen at the doorstep.

"No need. I'm just here to drop off a few items that might be yours. They cleaned Liam's locker and I never had the opportunity to give these to you."

"Oh. It's f-" but she was already pushing the small cardboard box into my hands. I didn't even know there was so much of our stuff in his locker. I looked up, for the first time, really seeing the mother of the guy I loved for two years. The guy who was now lying underneath soil and plants, and would stay there forever.

"Mrs. Perry… I'm sorry," I managed to mumble out weakly. In all the years, I had known Selena and Liam, their mom was always a distant figure in all of my memories. She would be there to give Selena a few reminders or to drop us off whenever my mom couldn't. But we were never close.

Her perfect shaped lips, almost identical to Selena's, twisted into a grim line. "No sorry can take back my son… nothing can take back the fact that you destroyed my family."

And before I could get anything out, she walked away from the doorstep and into the sidewalk. I felt my chest tighten and hurt and helplessness flooded me. I wanted to make her trust me, to love me. She had Liam's eyes, I thought. And I yearned for her to come back, so I could see the dark green- gray eyes that I loved for so long. And maybe, just maybe, Liam's memory would refresh itself into my mind.

Because that was what was killing me.

I was starting to forget.

Sighing, I shut the door slowly hearing the click of the lock. I turned around to go back to the sleep that was again invading my mind, but just before I reached the entrance of the living room, the doorbell rang again. My heart jumped wondering if it was Mrs. Perry coming back to scream the truth I was too scared to face… But instead, when I opened the door, I met the soft baby blue eyes of my second visitor. The same color that I had last seen before the stranger slipped into Liam's car.

The stranger, I had never met before, but at the same time she was familiar. And her name slipped off my tongue so naturally that it felt like I had known her for my whole life.

Taylor Sumner.


	23. Chapter 22: The Truths About Forgiveness

_**March 5th, 2010 (4:10 P.M.)**_

_I looked over to Snort who was now currently staring off into blank space._

_"Hello?" I waved a hand in front of his face, and he blinked a few times as he came back to reality. "What is up with you these past few days? You've been so quiet."_

_"Oh. Sorry," he mumbled so quietly that I could barely make the words out. Typical Snort._

_"What have you been thinking about?" I asked thoughtfully as I placed my history textbook onto the table and faced him. He shrugged obviously not really wanting to tell me._

_"Is it your parents again? Did they say something? Do something?" I asked in a worried tone. In the past few weeks we had begun to get closer, he would always tell me stories about what his parents had done to him; including the time they had call him a failure of a son. His parents had grown up in the same town as we were now, and I guess you could call them 'popular' back in the day. And I mean, VERY popular. Prom King/ Prom Queen status. And I guess having a son so distant and socially awkward as he was, didn't really carry on their legacy._

_Bullcrap, right?_

_Surprisingly, he shook his head. "No. Not my parents."_

_"You're not going to tell me, huh?"_

_A small smile finally crept up on his tight lips. "Probably not."_

_"Yeah. I guessed that," I laughed accomplished at the small smirk displayed on his face. I nudged him teasingly and opened my textbook again to continue our study session. That was what was good with studying with Snort. It wasn't always completely boring, but he was serious enough with his work, so you would actually get things done._

_"Oh. Did I tell you about that marathon Liam is running in a few months?"_

_He coughed awkwardly. "Mhmm. I think you told me a few days ago."_

_"Oh, sorry. I just don't get why he suddenly gains this big interest in running. I mean, he always complained about doing laps for football practice and then this… I just don't know what's up with him anymore, you know?"_

_Snort nodded slowly, keeping his gaze on the textbook in front of him. "I.. um… yeah."_

_"And he's always so distant these days. We never have time together anymore. It sucks."_

_Snort nodded again with the same lack of enthusiasm. "Right."_

_I nudged him with a raised eyebrow. "What's up with you? Just tell me."_

_His face transformed into something that I could read as hesitancy as he opened his mouth to say something that seemed important to him. But at the same time, he seemed to lose courage as he changed the topic back to me. "Do you still love him?"_

_I hesitated. "I.. um. Yeah. I .. think I do."_

_Snort seemed to notice. "You hesitated," he pointed out to me._

_I put my head in my hands and kept it there trying to find some sense in the commotion and chaos erupting from my mind and in my chest. "I know. I can't believe I just did that."_

_"Maybe we should get back to studying," he suggested, probably realizing the pain and confusion on my face._

_"Yeah," I managed to mumble out as I continued reading about the Civil War. I was here, sitting in my living room, but my mind wasn't. I could tell Snort was sneaking glances at me every few minutes as if he knew my mind was blocked with too many worries to study._

_"You know, Liam isn't as great a guy as people make him to be," he mumbled so softly it was as if he were talking to himself._

_I looked up from my textbook and raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"_

_"I… nevermind."_

_"No. Seriously. What do you mean?"_

_"It's just that… Remember when I went with you to surprise him a few days ago… Well—"_

_The doorbell rang and broke him mid- sentence. I wanted to stay sitting where I was and have Snort explain to me what he meant, but I knew I had to go answer the door. I excused myself really quickly and walked over to the door._

_"Liam!" I squealed out as I opened the door._

_"Hey," he grinned as he walked inside and I threw my arms around him. I buried my head in the crook of his neck and smiled. "I've missed you. What are you doing here? I thought you had practice."_

_"Nah. Got cancelled so I thought I'd surprise you here as well."_

_A soft poison- filled chuckle sounded from behind us and I turned around to see Snort watching us from the foot of the living room entrance._

_"What is he doing here?" Liam grumbled, obviously upset._

_"We're studying for History together," I explained._

_For the next few minutes, Liam and Snort seemed to just be staring at each other, speaking without words. And I stood in the middle of them awkwardly, letting the tense atmosphere pull down on me._

_"I better go," Snort's soft mumble broke through the silence first. I nodded knowing it was probably for the best at the moment. I gave him an awkward wave goodbye before watching him trudge off into the sidewalk and down the street._

_"What was that about?" I tried to ask, but before I could get half the sentence out, Liam's lips were on mine and moving hungrily._

_I was honestly too exhausted and confused to be doing this right now, but it was the closest I've been with Liam in weeks and I wasn't going to let the opportunity pass. I sighed as his tongue grazed mine and I felt him carefully pull me into the living room as we collapsed onto the couch. His mouth was moving over mine almost desperately, and my body was answering back with as much intensity. He pulled away every few minutes to breathe, but other than that, it was as if we were connected by glue._

_Just as I felt his hands graze the waistband of my jeans, I pulled away with an apologetic look on my face. "You know I'm not ready, Liam."_

_He grumbled a few curse words and shuffled over so I could sit up. He had been trying to get me to that stage for the last few months, but I just wouldn't give in. I knew I wasn't mentally ready for that yet, and I wasn't going to be one of those girls who used sex as a way to keep their boyfriends with them._

_I leaned my head on his shoulder and smelled something. "When have you started wearing perfume?" I asked with a raised eyebrow._

_Liam stopped to sniff himself and shrugged. "Selena. She tackled me earlier today. Some of it must have gotten on me."_

_I laughed knowing Selena. "Of course."_

_Liam, desperate to change the subject, turned towards me and kissed my neck. "Where were we again?"_

_This time, I let him slip his hand under my shirt and I shivered as his hand grazed my flat stomach. After a few minutes, I felt his hand go to my jeans again and, again I pulled back. "Goddamit," he mumbled as he jumped off the couch._

_"Liam. Don't be mad. I'm just… I'm not ready."_

_"When the hell are you going to be ready, Miles? We've been dating for almost 2 years. If we can't go that next level, then are we ever really moving forward?"_

_"I can't do this with you right now," I mumbled out weakly._

_"Which part, Miles? The talking part of the sex part?" he spit back angrily._

_"Neither."_

_He shuffled a hand through his dark blonde cropped hair and sighed. "I should go."_

_I felt desperation in my voice come true as I exclaimed, "But you just got here."_

_He looked away and put his jacket back on. "I just don't want to fight with you right now. I'm tired of it."_

_"I am too… but I miss you."_

_He acted as if he hadn't heard. He turned around once as if hesitating whether to go or not, but finally, he seemed to have made his mind as he opened the door and walked out._

_

* * *

**May 7, 2010 (12: 15 P.M.)**** {Present- Day}**  
_

"Come in," I answered meekly. The blonde stepped into the house shyly and followed me into the living room. She took a seat on the plush couch and I took the seat across from her. "Do you want something to drink?" I asked politely, not exactly sure how to handle this situation.

"It's fine," she answered awkwardly. We just sat there, letting the silence weight down on us.

"I'm Taylor Sumner," she finally answered. I could see her pull a hand out hesitantly for me to shake before bringing it back to her side. I nodded already knowing who she was. I looked at the petite blonde sitting in front of me with crossed legs. She had the palest most porcelain- like skin I had ever seen, and it only made her sun- colored curls even more vibrant as they cascaded down her shoulders in neat waves. Her eyes were the softest of blues that it seemed like I was staring at a distant ocean, and on her cheeks were the faintest blush that it seemed as if it were just the remnants of a rose.

In other words, she was absolutely beautiful.

"What are you doing here?" I asked the question that was gnawing at me since I saw her at my doorstep. She looked down for a few seconds before meeting my eyes. "You knew Liam, didn't you?" I managed to get out.

She nodded and bit her lip. She was trying not to cry.

"I'm Miley Stewart, by the way," I explained awkwardly.

"I know." Her voice was as smooth as velvet; the kind of voice where you just knew she could sing. She was perfect.

"I think I see it."

Taylor looked up confused. "What?"

As if not caring anymore, not wanting to hold anything back, I blurted out, "What Liam fell for."

"Miley—" she stopped not really knowing what to say. Finally, she seemed to find the right words inside of her. "I'm sorry."

"I bet you are," I mumbled trying to sound angry, but sadness filled my voice instead. "You never answered my question," I continued. "What are you doing here? Why did you come?"

I felt my heart twist inside my chest wondering if I even really did want to know the answer. Taylor toyed with a strand of hair as she twirled it around her long fingers nervously. "I came to say sorry… obviously. And I—" she stopped taking a moment to herself. Her wide baby blue eyes began to water. "I think you have the right to know the truth."

My heart dropped to my stomach and I knew where the conversation was going. "He really did cheat, didn't he," I whispered out. Even though I had suspected it from the beginning, it still hurt to have it confirmed. Now every time I started at the petite blonde sitting silently in front of me, I could only see her and Liam together. Talking… holding hands… kissing… All the things we used to do. It hurt so much that I had to look away.

"Start from the beginning," I murmured. My mind was screaming at me to leave the room, run away, and block my ears from hearing what she was about to say, but the other half, the stronger half, told me to stay. Part of me knew that I had to know. No matter how much it would hurt.

"We met while he was running. He slammed into me and I sprained my ankle. So of course, he brought me to the emergency room," she explained, a glint appearing in her ocean- blue eyes. The same one I used to have when I talked about him. "I thought that was the end of that, but he showed up everyday until I got better. And even after it healed, he took me running with him. Said it was good therapy or something," she laughed weakly. Small crystal tears were falling down her cheeks, and I stayed silent as I tucked my feet under me and forced myself to listen.

"And then he mentioned some marathon," Taylor explained.

"The marathon," I repeated in a lingering whisper. "He was with you."

She must have not heard my comment or she at least pretended not to hear it as she continued. "So we ended up training almost everyday. And … we were just friends in the beginning. Trust me. My parents are divorced. I didn't believe in marriage or relationships. Not even love. I wasn't looking for anything like falling in love."

"But you did," I finished for her. She blinked a few times in surprise, but even nodded.

"Yeah. I did."

I tucked my knees closer to my chest to stop the pain erupting from my chest and asked the question, "When did you start…." I couldn't finish the sentence.

"January. I didn't know he had a girlfriend… that he had you… until he and I first kissed."

I swallowed and nodded slowly. "He felt guilty, didn't he? That's why he told you?"

Typical Liam.

"I guess so," she smiled sadly through tears. "So I tried to keep it back to the friendship we had, when we first met… but it was so hard. I mean, after I told him that we shouldn't be doing anything more because of you…"

I froze up feeling almost guilty. But why? He was mine first…

She continued. "He kept telling me about you… and it hurt. I was jealous, I guess. And then when he started talking to me about how you guys were falling apart, I could tell he was hurting… Because he loved you, Miley. I know you won't let yourself believe it, that he REALLY did even after we met, even after you guys started to fight, but it's true."

I stayed silent not knowing what to say. "Don't tell me that was the end of it," I changed the subject and ignored her last sentence. "I saw you get into his car at that party… I saw you guys…"

I stopped again, not having the strength in me to let the memory enter my mind. I made a mental barricade and shut my eyes knowing that tears were beginning to come. It wasn't only from this conversation or the situation I was in right now. It was from everything.

Absolutely everything.

"That's the thing," she wiped a few tears from her even paler than normal skin. "We couldn't help it. We couldn't throw the friendship away because he just meant so much to me… But when we spent time together, even if it was just an innocent thing, it always blossomed into more. Always." She stopped having to clear her throat. "It's just hard you know… to keep lying… I loved Liam even though I knew he had you… that he loved you. But I couldn't help it. I loved him back, and I didn't have the strength to let him go. _THAT'S_ why I'm sorry."

I froze up thinking about Nick and how I couldn't help but fall for him despite the fact that he was Liam's best friend. I couldn't help it at all. Nick deserved so much better than me, but instead I got him mixed up in this tangled mess of lies. I didn't deserve him… but I was too weak to let him go.

Taylor's sweet voice rang out again; this time softer and gentler. "Even when everyone else is against the truth... no matter how wrong the truth hurts you or someone else... no matter how horrible it is... you still have to confess eventually. Because eventually lies can eat you up until you have nothing."

Now tears were spilling down my face and it felt like Taylor was reading right through my heart. Weakly, I managed to mumble the words that had been haunting me since the beginning. "Liam loved you Taylor. I know."

She smiled softly. "He loved you too."

I rubbed my arms in an act of almost comforting myself. "I don't think he knew what he wanted."

"No he didn't," Taylor laughed with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Typical Liam," we both blurted out at the same time, and I looked over at the teary eyed girl sitting across from me. Maybe he even loved her more than me… Because they might have only met a few months ago, very little compared to the almost two years I had spent with him, but a feeling inside me sprouted up and spread it's leaves.

She loved him more than I did.

"I miss his laugh," she blurted out and I could tell she hadn't meant to say it out loud.

I smiled. "I miss the feeling of his arms around me."

A small grin crept onto her lips and blossomed into something beautiful. "I miss his completely cheesy sense of humor… that always still somehow made me laugh… every time."

I chuckled softly and pushed back a strand of chestnut brown hair behind my ear. "He was always good at that."

"I miss his mix CDs that always seemed to be the same band over and over again," Taylor grumbled teasingly.

"The Killers, of course," I finished for her with a grin.

"I miss him so much," she finally whispered out.

"I do too," I tried to smile through tears. Talking about him felt so good and so bad at the same time. I was torn between the bliss of his memory, but at the same time dying from the fact that I would never have a chance to see those things from him… feel those things from him. I could tell Taylor, across from me, was thinking the same thing. As I looked over to Taylor, the other girl, I expected a surge of anger to overtake me, but instead it was nothing but remorse. I didn't want to be angry anymore. My first instinct when seeing Taylor outside my door was to scream and kick and make her go away; act like she never existed; act like what happened never did... But I was tired of running. And even though I was hurting, so so bad, from the thought that Liam had felt the way he had for me for someone else, I couldn't hate him for that. I didn't want my final lasting memory of him to be a bad one. I wanted to remember him for his good traits. Like the way he always made me laugh or the way he would always call me in random points of the day just to greet me a good morning or a 'how are you'. For a second, I wondered if Taylor and I would have ever been friends if Liam wasn't caught in the middle. If we had met before they had met, or if Liam hadn't met her at all.

But that was the problem with wondering. You never stopped. The only thing you could do was accept the reality and the choices you had made.

"I'm sorry again… for breaking you guys apart."

I shook my head with a melancholy smile displayed on my lips. "No. It started happening before you showed up. I just didn't want to accept it."

She stayed silent and a silence lifted in. Finally, her gaze went to the cardboard box, which Liam's mom had dropped off earlier, sitting next to her. I watched as she curiously peeked inside.

"It's Liam's stuff… Well, our stuff, I guess."

She nodded slowly and gave me a look as if asking for permission to look inside. I hadn't had the chance to look in it as well, so I simply nodded with the same curiosity. Taylor picked out small items, most of them old pictures of us from when I was still in freshman year. And finally to prom. All of them, Liam making the farthest from serious face. I watched as Taylor chuckled softly or just smiled as she shuffled from picture to picture.

After, she took out a small teddy bear with one of the button eyes missing. She raised an eyebrow, and I laughed remembering how I had gotten it. "Liam sucks at carnival games. He promised to get me one of those bears at the ring toss. Being quarterback, you'd think that he would have some sense of aim, right?"

Taylor laughed and nodded.

"WRONG," I explained. "He wasted at least $20 on that game and he missed every single one. Finally, he saw this broken teddy bear in the back that no one was taking, so he asked if he could just have it. The guy at the stand felt sorry for him, and he basically paid for the thing, so he gave it to him. And then he gave it to me… And it was one of the best presents he had given me."

I remembered when he had given me the bear, it was dirty, it was broken, but it wasn't that that I first noticed. My gaze was at his eyes which had so much care and wanting that I didn't care if he had given me nothing. This was enough.

Taylor laughed before finally picking up the last object in the box. My breath caught in my throat as she held it up in the air.

"Liam's lucky necklace," I sighed. They must have put it in my box accidentally. If it belonged to anyone, it was Selena's. On one of the Perry's earlier trips, back when Selena was still in middle school and Liam had just started high school, they had gone on vacation in Australia. Apparently the beaches were extremely beautiful and one of the things they had done there was sea- glass hunting. As they searched through the beach for the perfect sea glass, Sel and Liam had found two identical ocean- blue ones. It was rare if not impossible to find perfectly identical pieces, but they found it.

And they never took it off ever since. Liam wore it around his neck on an old black string while Selena kept her piece of sea glass on a charm- bracelet around her wrist everywhere.

"He wore this every time I saw him," Taylor said examining the necklace before giving it to me. I made sure I was careful to hold the black string instead of the glass. For some reason, I couldn't touch it. Instead I just stared at the deep blue color and imagined Liam having been the last one to touch it. His fingerprints still fresh on the glass. I didn't want to lose that either.

Instead I carefully tucked it away in my pocket, knowing exactly what to do with it.

A moistness hit the edge of my palm and I was surprised to see I was crying again. When I looked up Taylor was doing the same as if we both couldn't help it. "I just wish I had more time."

Taylor nodded and as if instinctively, both our eyes turned towards the door. Waiting… just waiting.

I didn't hate Taylor Sumner for falling in love with Liam. I didn't hate Taylor Sumner for Liam falling in love with her. I knew that now none of us could have him, but we both HAD him. And that was enough. I doubted we would ever be friends after this, but at the same time, I knew we weren't too different from one another.

Just two confused and heart- broken teenage girls, both staring at the closed door, desperately wishing that they guy they fell for, the guy they loved, would walk through at any moment.


	24. Chapter 23: The Truths About Defense

_**May 8th, 2010 (2: 16 P.M)**__** {Present- Day}**_

I felt a squeeze on my right hand and looked up to find Nick watching me with a worried stare. I wouldn't blame him. Though I was vaguely aware that I was sitting in the middle of Pop's Pizza with Joe and Demi chatting across from us and Nick sitting silently next to me, my hand in his, I couldn't seem to pay attention to any of it. Instead, my mind wandered onto the events of yesterday. From my meeting with Judge Harrison to my awkward exchange with Liam's mom and finally to meeting Taylor Sumner; the other girl that Liam fell for.

I was surprised at how calm I had acted… After Taylor had left, both of us in tears, I spent the rest of the day locked up in my room just hugging the pillow to myself to calm my breathing. I was upset, of course. But at the same time I felt like it didn't matter anymore. He was gone. None of us could have him. No one can ever have him… But at least we knew we were the last.

I still had Liam's lucky necklace in my front pocket and I shuffled awkwardly as the sea glass almost felt like it were burning through the denim.

"You okay?" Nick whispered, just low enough for me to hear. I met his soft brown eyes and seemed to melt into my seat. His look had a hint of concern and worry … and love. This is what I have now; this is what I want.

I shook my head knowing that if I had said I was fine, he wouldn't have believed it anyway. We acted as if we had known each other since birth. "Just a lot on my mind, I guess."

He gave me another look and kissed the side of my head comfortingly and I felt a jolt of energy pass through me as his lips made contact with my own. "Try to have fun, okay?"

"I am trying," I explained though I was half- lying. My intentions earlier _was_ to try; before everything from yesterday happened. But now, it was like my mind was isolated in its own world and refused to enter back to the realm of reality. No matter how much I tried.

"So, what do you want to order?" Demi asked as she scanned the menu. "I'm leaning towards something with mushrooms…."

"No," Joe huffed simply. "No mushrooms. We're getting meat lovers."

Demi shot him an annoyed look. "Fine. Be a fat- ass then."

Joe grinned. "Fine. I will."

And I finally managed to laugh. They were once again acting like the typical Demi and Joe again. So complicated from the outside, but once you dig a little deeper you knew they could never have the strength to leave each other.

"As long as we get wings, I'm good," Nick put in with a smile.

"I second that," I added, trying to get back to the conversation.

"Fine, fine," Demi sighed. Being the health- freak she was, she always looked down on our eating habits. "Let's all be fat- asses then."

"Woohoo!" Joe stood up with his arms up. He gave a round of high- fives to me and Nick, and Demi just sat looking around blushing.

"Sit your butt down, Joseph. Everyone's looking."

He flashed a quick teasing model pose and grinned. "Let them."

This time, the whole table, including Demi, broke into hard laughter. And more heads turned towards our chaotic table…. But we didn't care. We were having fun. The ones who look like idiots always do.

We made our orders and got into a simple enough conversation.

"So how are you, Miles?" Demi asked, her face finally forming into something serious.

I shifted awkwardly and images of Taylor and Mrs. Perry flashed through my mind. I skipped the first idea. "Liam and Selena's mom visited me yesterday…"

"What?" Demi jumped in her seat. Joe and Nick looked worried and curious at the same time also. "What did she say?"

I shrugged again, not really in the mood to repeat the words that had sliced into me. She hadn't raised her voice, but instead it was simple, as if she didn't have to question it at all. _Destroying my family…_ "We didn't talk much," I answered instead. "She just came to drop off a few of my stuff that they found in Liam's locker."

"Oh," they all said in unison, and Demi added," I'm sorry… I just can't believe she gave it to you in person."

"I know," I whispered.

"She was always a stranger to us, huh? I don't remember ever having a conversation with Sel and Liam's mom…"

"Me either," Joe added. "I remember her at a bunch of charity events but never when I came over or anything. I mean, she was always there, but at the same time, she was so quiet that you didn't even realize it."

"Liam talked about her though. They seemed pretty close," Nick put in.

"It's just really weird, I guess. She didn't seem exactly… okay… to see me," I said quietly, my voice dropping with each word. I felt Nick's hand squeeze mine again, and I leaned a bit of my weight on his . "I just wish I could sit down and talk to her… for real, you know."

I felt everyone around the table's eyes on me, and I shifted in my seat awkwardly. "Where's Selena anyway? Have you guys talked to her recently?"

Demi, Joe, and even Nick shared a knowing look, and it killed me to know that they knew something I didn't. "What? What is it?" I asked, frustration lacing itself into my voice.

Nick was the one to speak this time. "It's just that Selena hasn't gone to school ever since they found the fingerprints on the gun…"

"But that's been a week… No one has talked to her at all for a week?" I asked shocked. Right now, they were all as clueless as I was.

"She's not answering any of our calls, Miles," Demi explained as she crossed her arms in front of her, sighing. "I don't know if its her mom doing this or her… All I know is that no one has heard or seen from her in a week… That's why we were all so surprised to hear that Mrs. Perry visited you."

I sat quietly, letting the shocking news sink in. I felt like I entered another world again; a world that my own mind made to escape the truth.

Suddenly, a loud banging and a round of loud voices sounded behind us. Everyone in the table swiveled in their chairs to see the approaching customers. I instantly recognized them as people from school. In the front of the pack, acting as the main alpha, was Jackson himself. The huge beefy line- backer that Liam sadly had to call a friend… They were nothing like Nick and Liam, but they talked.. they had their inside jokes. And apparently that was enough for him.

His dark brown eyes scanned the room hungrily, almost in a predator- like style, until it stopped at our table. His eyes seemed to burn through mine with such fury and anger that I couldn't help but look away first. Though, I was now staring at the cheap patterned table cloth, I still knew he was walking over to our direction.

"Hey, Jackson," Demi and Joe greeted tensely. Nick didn't say anything.

"Hey," he answered gruffly. His eyes snapped to me. "Stewart. What the hell do you think you're doing here? Heard you went to jail."

"It was only for a night." I mumbled, clenching and unclenching my fists.

"If I was them, I would have locked you up in there til your court day."

"Jackson," Joe said, annoyance and warning in his voice.

"What?" he asked innocently. "I'm just trying to tell this girl what I think. She's dangerous."

"I'm standing right here, you know," I spit back angrily.

"Oh, I know," he smirked. He leaned in closely so he was right above my face, his hot and odored breath filling my sense. "I just think you need to understand how much of a whore you are."

The next few moments went by too fast for me to see. One moment, I'm staring into Jackson's blotchy and sweat- filled face. Secondly, I notice Nick's hand slip out from under my grasp. And finally, as my mind catches up to reality, Jackson is sprawled on the ground with his hand rubbing the side of his face furiously.

An explosion of gasps and screams of curse words and worry filled the room as Jackson's posse, which basically made up the entire Gregory High School football team, ran towards Nick… My Nick… The Nick that was now currently standing in front of me protectively, his breath coming out in short gasps and his fists out in front of him. One of them already smeared with blood.

Right as I thought Jackson's friends were about to reach Nick, he yelled at them to stop. I sighed in relief knowing that he wouldn't have been able to withstand half the football team. Nick was strong, but not that strong.

The crowd moved back to reveal a bewildered and pissed off Jackson. "You asshole. I can't believe you just did that," the dark blonde line- backer yelled. "Why the hell are you siding with her? She killed your freakin best friend."

I froze up and let the hand that was resting on Nick's shaking shoulders fall back to my side.

"And you two," he motioned towards Demi and Joe who had stood up from their seats with their eyes wide open. "How stupid can you be? She murdered your effing brother, Joe… and yours too Nick… Shot him right through the head."

"Stop," Joe shot back, his voice strict and tense.

"She killed Kevin… probably that Patrick creep too."

"Shut up!" Nick shouted with fury filling his voice.

Jackson spit out blood and stood up shakily with someone's help. "Of course, Hanson. You would take her side… You're with her, right? That's why you were so willing to let go of Liam? Your goddamn best friend too… for this bitch-"

The only thing I saw was a swift throw of an arm and suddenly the explosion of voices pounded in my head. The entire football team threw themselves on Nick, trying to dodge Jackson, who was lying in a twisted position on the tiled floor. I could hear Demi's screams as the crowd of people surrounded the completely shaken Nick, and I couldn't help but let out a helpless gasp as he disappeared inside. I threw myself on a thick dark- haired guy who was around my age, trying my best to get through, but there was too many people at once.

Adrenaline was pulsing through my veins and my heart was caught at the base of my throat, beating erratically at a pace I could not recognize. "Nick!" I screamed, and other names were being screamed too, even a few cheering, but the only thought in mind at the moment was getting to Nick.. helping him… saving him…

Something I hadn't been able to do with the last person I loved.

Suddenly, the fire alarm had gone on and water was shooting everywhere. Everyone let out grumbles and small screams as they tried to flee to somewhere safe and dry. I looked over to the other side of the restaurant where the owner was screaming out orders. I sighed knowing that there really was no fire, but just a way to get all our attentions.

"Get out!" the balding man screamed at us. He ushered as much people out as he could, but I couldn't leave without seeing Nick. I pushed myself further into the crowd and felt my heart stop when I finally saw him. He was sitting up, barely, and he had leaned his weight on one of the tables near him. One of his eyes were swollen shut and blood was trickling down from his bottom lip.

I ran over to his side and took him into my arms. He slipped into them willingly. I could feel how weak he was from the desperate and loose hold he had as he wrapped his arms around me. Please. Don't let him die in my arms too.

"Miley?" he mumbled out through swollen lips. I nodded and pushed back his smooth curls so they were free from his wet forehead.

"I'm here," I whispered wanting to kiss him, but not knowing where to without hurting him. A saw his lips slowly form into what seemed like a smile, but it was too hard to tell before Demi and Joe were suddenly next to me and helping Nick up.

"We have to go unless we want any charges on us," Joe grumbled as he let Nick lean on him. In the process, letting go of my hand. I felt my heart drop from the vacany in my hand, but I simply nodded and followed them outside the restaurant.

We stopped at an empty lot right in front of the restaurant and let an exhausted Nick sit down on the curb of the pavement. He seemed a little dizzy, but he managed to sit up. He looked like a complete mess from where I was sitting. His jet- black hair was arranged in a chaotic mess of curls, his lips were swollen as if he had just been attacked by bees, and his left eye was so swollen that you could barely hint out the soft chocolate brown that always caught my breath.

"Does he look as bad as I do?" Nick finally smirked. Through the worry that invaded my head, I laughed softly. Demi and Joe did the same and smirked.

"Sure, Nick."

"Good," he mumbled with a weak smile. I managed to twist my lips into a smirk. Of course. Typical, Nick.

I twisted a wispy lock of chestnut hair around my finger awkwardly. "Thank you, guys… for standing up for me back there."

Demi and Joe broke into a soft smile and shrugged. "It's not big deal. You'd do the same with us…"

"Jackson's an asshole," Nick smirked as he spit up another small amount of blood.

"C'mon, bro. We should go and get you some ice," Joe explained as he tried to help his brother up. Nick stumbled on the first few steps, and I ran over to his side just in case he needed something. The moment I caught up to him, I felt his hand find mine. Almost as if it was a reflex. I smiled shyly at our joined hands and let him lean his weight on me until we reached Nick's car.

"Sorry if today didn't go as well as you hoped," Demi smiled apologetically as she walked over next to Joe, leaning on him dependently.

"Well, it was exciting. That's for sure."

"Mhmm," Nick mumbled through his still swelling lips.

"Bro, I think you should just get home. Lucky for you Dad's out of town and Mom's still at work."

Nick's lips formed a small smirk as he nodded. Although all I wanted to do was spend more time with Nick, with Joe, with Demi… I knew I was running out of time. We all had to go. And tomorrow, I would face the reality of my decision.

"So I guess we'll see you tomorrow?" Joe asked, his voice dropping to a quiet shy tone that I've never known Joe for using. He was scared. Just as scared as I was.

"Yeah. I guess so..."

"Good luck," Joe managed to mumble meekly, but Nick staggered forward and broke the awkwardness.

"She doesn't need luck," he whispered so simply. He moved his hand forward to brush back a strand of my hair so gently that I held my breath wishing the moment would never pass, all I wanted was for time to freeze. "Everything is going to turn out fine."

I smiled softly and kissed his bruised palm before watching him walk away with Joe helping him.

"Hey, Demi," I stopped her quickly before she was on her way home herself. I bit my lip wondering if I should ask her or not. "Do you think you can drive me somewhere really quickly? I have something to drop off."

* * *

_**March 7th, 2010 (7: 25 P.M.)**_

_I adjusted the dark haired 16 year old's tie as we paused in front of a pair of double glass doors with such an elegant and detailed design that it looked like it deserved to placed in a museum. The dark haired boy squirmed uncomfortable under my touch, and I leveled my gray eyes to his black ones to calm him._

_"Snort. You're going to have to relax if you want me to get this tie on properly."_

_"I know… I know…" he mumbled slowly, and I could tell from the shakiness in his voice that relaxing was going to be the last thing he would be doing tonight. "Thanks for coming with me anyway."_

_"No problem," I shrugged. "I didn't have plans anyway. And standing around and making fun of rich fancy snobs sure makes up for a night of sitting around in my room. Right?"_

_Snort smirked, and I sighed accomplished knowing that I had made him feel a little better. That was always the trouble with him. Smiling was probably the one thing he did the least. "Now are you ready to go in?"_

_"Um…"_

_"Okay then," I grinned as I nodded to the young gentleman standing outside the glass doors. He opened it slowly to reveal a spiraling staircase that led to the main ballroom. I felt myself gasp at the magnificence of the whole scene. I felt like I was in a fairytale. "Remind me how rich your parents are again."_

_"Um… very rich?"_

_I squeezed his arm which was joined with mine and nodded, my eyes still filled with absolute awe. "That's what I thought…"_

_"Oh please, Miley. Don't tell me you like this sort of thing," he snorted as he looked over at my wide- eyed facial expression. I nudged him playfully, causing us both to loose our footing on the stairs. Luckily, Snort had grasped onto the railing tight enough to help me balance as well. "That was close."_

_I gulped loudly hoping no one had noticed that little misstep and took another few steps forward until we reached the main ballroom. This night was going to go perfect. I promised Snort, and I wouldn't break it._

_Suddenly, a pair dressed completely in fancy jeweled gowns approached us with tight smiles. I could feel their eyes glaze over me with curiosity and it didn't take long for me to recognize the tall, lanky, raven- haired woman to my right._

_"Hi, mom," Snort grumbled awkwardly, his eyes set on the ground. I nudged him softly, and his head snapped up too quickly to look natural. Mrs. Nelson's eyes look in disapproval and she whispered something to her friend causing both to laugh half- heartedly. I snuck a look over at Snort whose eyes were once again on the floor and a bright red blush was spreading across his pale face like a virus._

_An awkward silence slipped in for just a few seconds before an equally tall man dressed in a full Armani suit stepped next to Mrs. Nelson and scanned us in the same way, as if we were strangers._

_"Good evening, Ms. Stewart," Mr. Nelson smiled tightly. "What a surprise to see you here tonight. Is your father here?"_

_I shook my head wondering how he even knew my name, but then again, it was a small town. Almost everyone knew everyone. "No," I shook my head, trying to keep my voice quaint and polite. "I came here with your son."_

_I let the words roll of my tongue proudly, not wanting to hold anything back, but I could only feel Snort stiffen next to me. His mother's eyes grew wider every few seconds she looked at us. Her dark navy blue eyes danced between the two of us. "You mean… you are his girlfriend?" she asked, shock and disbelief filling her voice._

_I snapped my mouth shut realizing how I must have sounded. Mr. Nelson looked surprised as well as they eyed their son. Since he didn't seem like he was about to say anything, I was left to fix the mix up. "Oh no. Nothing like that. I have a boyfriend. I just came here with him… as a friend."_

_Mr. Nelson and Mrs. Nelson shared a look together before breaking into laughter that filled the room. "Oh. We knew it was too good to be true."_

_Again, Snort stiffened next to me and the red venom- like substance flushed over his face again. I could tell this conversation was killing him. "What do you mean?" I asked, turning back to his overly- amused parents._

_Mrs. Hemsworth, still looking completely amused flashed a look at her son and motioned towards me and the white chiffon dress wrapped comfortable around me. Demi and Selena had helped me pick it out a few nights ago, though they didn't know the exact occasion I was using it for. "I mean, you, my dear. Someone like you can't be with someone like …" she stopped mid- sentence, but I already knew the direction where her words were going._

_Anger flashed over me and I unknowingly stepped forward so I was standing right in front of Mrs. Nelson's overly- painted face. Perfume reeked from her skin, and she was as horrible as Snort described her to be. "Like him… HIM. That him you're talking about is an amazing, funny, smart guy who will be a better person that you and you," I pointed towards Mr. Nelson. "will ever be."_

_"Miley," Snort mumbled behind me, but I didn't care. I kept going._

_"And I'm tired of you treating him like he's a piece of trash. He's YOUR SON. If anyone is messed up in this family, it is you two. He deserves so much better than this. Not the other way around," I spit back angrily. Mr. and Mrs. Nelson stood frozen and wide- eyed in front of me. I could see fear, anger, and even a bit of hesitation in their eyes. I hadn't noticed how silent the room had gotten until the final world exited my lips. Again, I felt Snort tugging on my arm._

_"Let's go," he whispered, already pulling me up the stairs and away from the room of shocked expressions. I turned around, picking up the bottom of my dress and exited the ballroom with a flushed Snort next to me._

_"What was that?" he asked, his eyes growing wide._

_I shook my head in apology, knowing that what I did was wrong. "I'm sorry. I know, I know. I ruined tonight, but I just couldn't help it. They were being such jerks…"_

_"They were," Snort chuckled softly to himself._

_"Wait. So you're not angry?" I asked, feeling a bit of relief enter my expression._

_"Actually, I think I deserve to thank you… No one stands up to my parents that way… No one, and you just did that…. All of that."_

_"It was the truth," I smiled encouragingly. I watched as his face lit up with such joy that I couldn't help but feel something in myself light up. "So do you wanna um, go get a burger or something. I'm still kind of hungry."_

_Snort smirked once again, finally looking happy for the first time tonight. "Of course… And thank you again… for standing up for me."_

_"You would do the same for me."_

_"I would," he mumbled in his raspy voice, smiling. "I'd do anything for you."_

_"I know that. We are friends after all," I grinned. "You're one of the only friends I have whom we tell everything too, you know that?"_

_Suddenly, Snort's smile dropped slightly. If I hadn't been watching his face so intently, I almost wouldn't have noticed it._

_"Miley...,: he started slowly. It almost sounded like an agonizing groan. "I have something I think I should tell you…"_

_I stopped him as I put my palm on his mouth, shutting him up completely. "Is it something positive?" I asked._

_He hesitated, and I saw pain flash in his eyes for just a second. I couldn't tell if it was pain for him, or pain towards me, but at the moment, I didn't care. "Then don't tell me. Not tonight. Tonight we're going to have the time of our lives… Okay?"_

_He didn't say anything in response, but instead stayed silent. I took that as a good enough answer as we started walking down the deserted block, arms linked. I felt so comfortable with him, and without realizing it until now, I realized that Snort was becoming one of my closest friends. I trusted him with absolutely everything._

_In a few days, everything I believed in would change._

_

* * *

_

_**A/N: I just wanted to say that there are only two chapters left in the story. The next two chapters will have a lot of flashbacks, so be ready. Hahaa. And thank you reading.**_

_**And if you haven't read it already, I posted a Story Sampler for you to pick which story I should start next. Right now, the ones winning is 21 Days of Miley Stewart and a fantasy story. So go review and I'll count up the votes in 2 days. Thank you. :) 3  
**_


	25. Chapter 24: The Truths About Courage

_**May 9th, 2010 (10: 15 A.M.)**__** {Present- Day}**_

I, Miley Ray Stewart, deserved to die that day.

I repeated those nine words over and over again in my head until they made a hot and clear imprint on the surface of my mind. Those words were one of the first truths I've managed to tell since I held the gun up in my small shaking hands. Also the reason why I'm currently sitting in the backseat of my car, forcing myself not to cry.

My parents sat silently in the driver and passenger seats, not having said anything to me aside from a few 'goodmornings' here and there. Surprisingly, my mom wasn't crying, not a single tear, but today it was even worse. It was as if she had run out of tears, or she didn't find a good enough reason to. My faith, though we hadn't even gotten to the court room yet, was pretty much determined. It made me sad to think that I never got to say my proper goodbyes to Demi, Joe, or Nick… Especially, Selena. Selena, my first ever friend in high school. The one person who was always there, a simple step behind me, whenever I needed her. I couldn't believe everything we once had was now nothing but a memory. It was amazing how much could change in time; even how much could change from a single action.

I shut my eyes and watched as my visit from last night played through my head as if watching a clear cut movie.

_I climbed through a secret window on the first floor of the Perry house, trying my best to keep as quiet as possible. I had knocked on the front door, but no one had answered. They must have gone out. Liam and I had always used this back window whenever we had stayed out too late or when he forget his house keys, which was at least twice a week. I tip- toed up the spiral staircase that led to a hallway full of rooms. It was amazing that a whole family of 4… or now 3, could have lived in such a huge house, if it weren't counted as a mansion. _

_ 1…_

_ 2_

_ 3_

_ 4_

_I stopped in front of a plain white door, closed shut. As I stared at the chipping white walls and the random notes and posters splattered over it, I couldn't help but remember walking through it so many times over and over again. I placed a shy hand on the bronze doorknob and nearly gasped when it turned, and the door slowly creaked open. They hadn't locked it. I let myself count to ten slowly, trying to calm my racing heart and my pulsing ears before taking a cautious step forward into the carpeted room._

_ I felt tears rise up to my eyes as I took in my surroundings. It was exactly as I remembered it. Not a single piece of clothing or book or poster out of place. Even our picture at the carnival with the broken bear he had given me was still hanging on his shelf. I walked around slowly, finding myself having to try harder and harder to push tears back with everything I saw… almost everything in this room brought back memories of him… of us._

_ "I miss you," I mumbled as I took a seat on his double bed. I grabbed the bed sheets and wrapped it between my fingers, knowing that he had been the last one to sit on this bed before me. All I wanted to do was stay here forever and remember back to the time when we were so happy and all we would do was laugh and joke around. But I knew no matter how long I waited in this room, Liam would never walk through that door. He would never come for me._

_ I stood up, my knees almost giving in from all the memories surging through my head. I didn't come here to cry. I brought a hand to my pocket and took out the piece of sea glass that Liam wore around him everywhere. His lucky piece of sea glass that he had found in vacation with Selena. I was about to return it back on his bedside table when I heard a shuffle from outside the door. I felt my body freeze as I waited for someone to walk in, to catch me, but even after minutes, no one came. _

_ Curiously, I walked over to the next room and found the door open also. My eyes widened as I saw Selena sleeping with the blankets tossed around her like a storm. Her face was drenched in sweat and her face was twisted in pain. She was having a nightmare. She used to always be a peaceful sleeper… I did this to her… All I wanted to do was reach over and make sure she was alright, like what she always did to me… but instead, I turned to her desk where the other matching blue sea glass hanging off a charm bracelet was lying. Smiling, I placed the necklace down next to it. This is where it was supposed to be. Not with me, but with the one girl who loved him more than I did, even more than any other person in this world did._

_ Finally, I looked over to my best friend once more, before slipping back out the door and out of the house… Almost as if I hadn't been there at all._

"We're here," Dad said tensely. I lifted my head, full of a pulsing head- ache, and looked up to meet flashing and flashing and flashing. The bright white lights were attacking us chaotically, and I thought it would be impossible to find an escape. Finally, a familiar face pushed through the crowd of flashing lights and I sighed into a bit more relaxation as I met the kind yet serious face of Mrs. Hanson; the one person who was forced upon the hardest job of all; defending me with nothing to use as evidence except my lies. My dirty sorry lies.

"Miley. C'mon. Just stick with me." Denise's blaring voice sounded out from all the other calls and yells. I felt her hand grasp mine as I opened the car door just slightly enough for me to slip my body through. She pulled me to her right and wrapped a secure and protective arm around my back, making sure I wouldn't be lost in the sea of ambushing photographers.

"What's going on?" I mumbled in absolute confusion, but the other voices over- powered mine completely so that it seemed like I hadn't spoken at all. Bodies were being pressed compactly next to mine, and cameras were being flashed right in front of my eyes. Closing my eyes to protect them from all the bright lights, I was only left with the screams and yells.

_Miley, how do you feel about all this?_

_ Do you think if you are found guilty, you will come back to graduate?_

_ Did you kill the new body found; Patrick Nelson?_

_ Why made you kill all those innocent people? _

Though I was no longer a stranger to these questions and words, I still couldn't help but feel my body freeze over. If it weren't for Denise's steady hand around me, leading me until we reached the marble steps of the court room, I would have probably been swallowed up in the ambush of photographers.

I was too scared to open my eyes until I heard the door close shut, and even then, my vision was so poor from all the flashing that all I could see were blurs of color. Denise looked a little flushed and out of breathe next to me, but at the same time, she still looked calm and professional; the usual.

"What was that?" I asked, oblivious to everything that was going on. My vision was still clearing, but I could see Denise's worried and apologetic face.

"Someone must have leaked the news and date of the hearing. I'm sorry you had to go through that, Miley."

"Wait," I paused as realization slowly rolled over me. "So this will be all over the news? Everything?"

Denise nodded slowly, and I could tell everything would be so much more worse after this. Everyone would know I was a murderer.

"Hello beautiful," a soft whisper sounded behind me soothingly before a pair of arms wrapped around my waist and engulfed me in a warm embrace. It didn't take me a second to pause before I knew I was in the safe arms of Nick Hanson. I buried my worried head at the small space at the base of his neck and tried my best to calm my breathing. My heart was pulsing in anticipation, and I could feel Nick's heart beat pulsing in a rhythm matching mine next to mine between the fabrics of our shirts. I put a steady hand in between us and put it on his chest.

"You came?" I asked surprised and thankful at the same time. He still looked like a complete mess with his one eye swollen and cut up lip, but he looked better than yesterday. Worried, but better. I felt his protective hand that cradled the back of my head slowly move to the side of my cheek.

"Of course. Mom over there wouldn't let me at first, but I was able to change her mind after awhile," he smiled, and our eyes flickered to Denise who was still standing a few feet away with her arms crossed in front of her.

"Well, what was I supposed to think when you showed up at home with a black eye and half your face ripped open," she explained seriously, though I could tell she had a bit of teasing in her tone.

"You should have seen the other guy," Nick smirked casually as if all the scars and bruises in his face, scars and bruises because of _me_, were nothing but harmless pencil lines. "And I had a good reason," he finished simply. I flushed red as I felt his hand graze mine. Even the simplest touches with him would leave me feeling in a daze.

"Joseph! Come here and let me fix your tie!" Demi, in a simple yet still stunning black dress, echoed out through the deep long court hall. She came running to a stop as she saw us standing at the far end of the hall. A wide but clearly hesitant grin passed her face as she ran over and wrapped me in a huge Demi hug that always seemed to make me feel better no matter what. She was good at those. "Miles! You look gorgeous today."

"Gorgeous?" I questioned her as I scanned my simple enough outfit. A pair of black slacks and a clean crisp white polo shirt that hung onto my long lean body loosely. My hair was up in a French bun with some small strands of hair escaping it messily. My eyes were probably still blood- shot from the lack if not non- existent sleep I got last night, and my face was clear of any make- up for the first time in awhile. Today, I felt like there was nothing left to hide. They had their decisions already clearly played out in their minds. There was no chance of pretending to be someone else to change it. The deal was done. Everything was done.

"I don't know," Demi shrugged, cocking her head to one side and examining me closer as if she couldn't figure it out herself. "Just something different."

Joe suddenly appeared from behind her, and stepped to her side, wrapping a protective arm around her petite waist. I knew those two would be together for a long long time; if there was a word that was longer than forever, it would be them. "Hey, Miles. How are you?" Joe asked. His hair was swept back in a smooth jet- black wave, and he looked so much more mature than I remember him being. The old class clown and school flirt was gone, and instead, a strong, handsome, and mature 17 year old had taken his place in front of me.

"Honestly," I sighed. "I feel like dying…"

They all shared a look before flashing me a look of complete shock and worry.

I smirked. "I'm joking. I just thought you guys needed to loosen up a little." Their faces transformed in relief, but I could still see the worry in their faces. "I'm fine, really," I reassured them. "Exhausted, but I'm okay."

A slight slam of a door caught all our attentions, and we all twisted around to see Mr. and Mrs. Perry enter the room almost so silently and unnoticeably that no one would have probably even noticed their presence at all. They both looked equally tense, especially Mrs. Perry whose body was basically convulsing in sobs and tears. All I wanted to do was comfort them, but I knew I couldn't. No matter what I told them, the blame for their son would always be pointed at me.

The pair of bright blue eyes flickered to me, and the shade of blue brought back heavy memories of Liam. The Liam I knew for years. The Liam before everything we had had fallen apart. Emotion seemed to flicker inside them like an untamed candle, and I felt as if the whole room was holding its breathe. Finally, someone broke the stare first as Mrs. Perry stared with those piercing blue eyes, so identical to Liam's, and shook her head in complete and obvious disappointment.

I felt something shatter in my chest, but I couldn't let her get to me. I just couldn't.

"She's wrong. She'll be more understanding after today," Nick whispered closely to my ear. I stayed silent and even knew he was lying.

"But what if she isn't wrong?" I whispered, my heart caught in my throat. This time, Nick didn't have an answer. Instead, he leaned down from the small height difference between us and kissed my hair.

"We believe you no matter what. Everyone makes mistakes, Miles… Even some of the best."

I leaned my head dependently on Nick's chest and kept silent, not knowing what to think or say anymore. "I don't know what I did to deserve you… To have you now, during all this. When I needed someone most."

"I think the same with you," he smiled that perfect smile, which only made me feel even guiltier. I didn't deserve this guy standing in front of me.

"Selena isn't with them," Demi's voice broke Nick and I from our own world and spiraled us back into our unwanted realities. "She's not there…,"

"Guys. I think instead of worrying about the Perry family, you guys should go get to your seats. The hearing starts in a few minutes. It's fine. I've got Miley under my hands," Denise explained as she ushered them away from the nearly empty hallway. I felt Nick's hand squeeze mine in an attempt of final comfort. He moved closer, not caring that he was being left behind by Joe and Demi.

"I think I know what Demi saw earlier… the difference," the curly haired 17 year old smiled, stuffing his hands in his pockets shyly.

"What?"

"The difference she saw wasn't outer- beauty, though you have a lot of that," he grinned slowly, staring at me intently with those sweet chocolate brown eyes. "It's courage that she sees, Miles. It's courage." I felt my face flush from his words, and before I could know what was happening, he moved forward and left a small kiss on my cheek."See you later," he smiled tensely. He said see you later, I thought to myself. Not goodbye… not good bye… For some reason, those choice of words gave me a brief sense of relief, right before I saw I movement from the corner of my eye, and my body seemed to tense up without even seeing who it was.

When I turned around to see Detective Wilden dressed in a full black and white suit from head to toe, his eyes were already burning through mine. They flashed with such a confidence and power that words almost seemed to radiate from it; _it's over_. I wavered first and brought my gaze back to Denise whose arm was wrapped around me defensively. "Don't worry about him… He's the least of you worries. We just have to get through this… But I need your help too. Is there anything I should know? Absolutely anything I should know? I can't do this alone, Miley…" Denise turned to me with a raised eyebrow and hopeful eyes. I opened my mouth, thinking about telling her everything, absolutely everything from the very beginning. She could help me, I thought, but in the same brief moment the thought passed my head. My eyes turned to meet Detective Wilden's heated gaze.

"Nothing," I mumbled, my heart breaking, but not sure for who.

Denise let a little disappointment slip from her expression, but she still managed to stretch out a smile on her face. "Then I guess this is it…"

I gnawed on my lip in anticipation. The only thing filling my mind were regrets, and that was what was killing me. What ifs were the only thing that were entering and escaping my brain. What if I hadn't fallen in love with Liam… What if I hadn't seen Taylor Sumner that one night? What if everything stayed completely the same in me and Liam's relationship? What if I hadn't picked up that gun…

"Don't be scared, Miley," Denise brought me back out of my wandering thoughts. I was distinctly aware that her arms were placed securely on both my shoulders and her eyes blazed with confidence and determination. "If he was here right now to see how strong you are, Kevin would be so so proud of you… Liam would be proud of you."

I should tell her…

But instead when I opened my mouth, a mumble of words exited my lips. "I don't feel strong."

"Yet you're standing here right now, instead of running away."

Like Patrick, I thought.

"I'm sorry about Kevin," I explained, just before we turned around to enter the court room that would establish my faith.

Denise's eyes flashed a bit of pain, but I could clearly see that it wasn't a raw pain anymore, but more of a healing pain. The pain I now had whenever I thought of Liam or Kevin or even Patrick. I wondered if Patrick was with Liam and Kevin right now. I wonder if they're watching over me. "Thank you," Denise smiled softly before taking my arm into hers. "Are you ready?"

"Yeah. I think I am," I whispered so quietly that there was a chance that Denise might not have even heard my words at all. I flashed one last look at Detective Wilden who was now standing next to the Perry family, talking to them in soft low whispers, both their faces twisted in serious and anticipating expressions. As if sensing me watching, he twisted his head and looked me straight in the eye, but I didn't waver when I finally looked away.

I nodded once before Denise tugged me forward and into the court room that would determine the next 50 years of my life.

* * *

_**March 13, 2010 (9: 12 P.M.)**_

_I shook the full cup of beer in my hand, causing some of the brown liquid to slosh onto my palm. I was distinictlley aware of the loud music blaring around me, along with the sounds of screaming and singing. Demi had decided to host a party while her parents were out of town for the weekend for some cruise they had won on the radio. I hadn't wanted to go since all I've wanted to do so far since the Liam break- up was curl up in a ball in my room and disappear. But Demi just wouldn't let me go so easily. Everyone was at this party. Even a few freshmans managed to sneak in if they were lucky enough._

_"Hey! Look Miles!" Demi squealed, obviously already drunk from the 3 cups of beer she drank. She pointed to the front door where Liam was entering with a huge grin on his face. Like the usual Liam he was. How could he be so happy? We only broke up a day ago... His easy acceptance of losing me caused a sharp pain to stab into my chest. "I thought you said Liam couldn't come today, Miles."_

_"Um… I guess he changed his plans," I mumbled, looking down at my drink and taking a full chug. I hadn't gained enough strength to tell anyone that Liam and I had broken up. Ever since we had first gotten together, everyone would always assume that Liam and I would be together forever. It just felt right since the beginning. And now that it wasn't going to turn out like that, it was like the whole world had broken and had been pieced together incorrectly._

_I watched, taking sip after sip after sip from my beer, letting the bitter liquid burn through my throat and leave almost a lightness in my stomach, as Liam made his way through a line of people, high- fiving and greeting a few guys from school. Suddenly a slim arm and a flash of blonde hair came to him and brought him to a halt. I saw his eyes light up with something I've never seen before, and I felt my heart trash around in my chest, wanting to get out. The mystery blonde, I didn't recognize, but I could tell from the easy way Liam felt around her, that she was no stranger to him. I strained to see the blonde clearer, but her perfect curved back was faced towards me. Had he come to the party with her? Had he really moved on that fast?_

_"Who's that with Liam?" Selena asked, motioning towards the blonde that's hand was now currently resting comfortably on his arm. I took another huge chug out of my cup of beer only surprised to see that it was empty._

_"Um, a friend of his… yeah," I mumbled a little too quickly. I reached out for another plastic cup filled to the rim with beer and brought it all down my throat._

_"Woah there Miles," Joe chuckled, grabbing the cup away from my hands. "Calm down."_

_"Yeah. What's up? You don't seem like you?" Selena put a steady hand on my shoulder as she sent me a clearly worried expression._

_"And plus, you have all night to get wasted," Joe joked around, slapping me on the back teasingly._

_"Joe!" Demi slapped him on the shoulder, but he only smirked. They started to get into a conversation that only brought everyone in the group to break into loud and hysterical laughter. I didn't find any of it funny; maybe because I was too distracted by the fact that Liam was here, possibly with another girl that wasn't me. I looked back over at where Liam was, now right next to the staircase with only the mystery blonde next to him and whispering something closely to his ear. He laughed, his face lighting up in a way that I used to be able to do so easily a few years ago. He looked happy… without me._

_I tore my eyes away from the extremely close couple, and shut my eyes trying to blink back tears. I felt a soft hand place itself on my shoulder again. "What's wrong?" Selena asked softly._

_"I… I don't know. I have a head- ache… I can't be here right now," I looked around at my surroundings, searching for some sort of an escape, but instead my eyes stopped at a pair of bright blue eyes staring back into mine. I saw him whisper something to the blonde before slipping past her and walking towards me. As if on instinct, I felt my own feet shuffle towards him like a magnetic pull and we stopped once we were right in front of each other, chest to chest. We had met in the middle._

_"Miles," he mumbled, his voice shaking as if in pain. I watched as his fingers reached out towards me but fell back to his side after remembering the circumstances at the moment. Instead of nudged his head to the long staircase that led to the second floor of Demi's house. "Let's go somewhere quieter. I need to talk to you."_

_I thought about mentioning the blonde and who she was and if he had come with her to the party, but the feel of his hand slither in mine to lead me upstairs silenced me and made me forget about everything that was on my mind. The feel of warmth radiating from his palm and touching mine made me feel like we were what we used to be, and I would have given anything to keep the moment still. Finally, after passing a few couples making- out, we stopped in front of a guest room that Demi never used and slipped inside, trying our best to keep unnoticed._

_He stood on the other side of the room, pacing back and forth and constantly rubbing his neck, while I stood on the other side of the room awkwardly frozen. "So you wanted to talk…"_

_"I just need to know what's up with us. Are we really…" he droaned off by the end of the sentence, not wanting to say it out loud._

_I shrugged, letting my arms hang loose at my sides, my heart beating irregularly. "I don't know… Do you want it to be?"_

_He ran his hands through his short messy blonde hair and shrugged. "I don't know…"_

_"So none of us know…" I sighed, taking a seat on the bed._

_"I guess not," Liam chuckled, his mood beginning to ease just slightly. I even felt my own lips tug into a small hesitant smile. He walked over and took a seat next to me, not exactly dangerously close, but it wasn't exactly all the way across the bed either. I felt my breathe hitch, but it wasn't because of the feeling he gave me when we were around each other like it always was, but this time, rather the fact that for the first time since I had first met Liam, I had absolutely nothing to say. "I miss you, you know," Liam finally whispered, taking my hands into his hesitantly, not sure whether I would allow the small contact._

_"I miss you too," I mumbled, though the only pictures going through my mind were of the blonde and his smiles and the fact that he looked so happy and fine without me. "But you didn't seem like you were missing me very much downstairs."_

_"Faking a smile is the easiest lie to do," he ran a timid finger over the edge of my face, brushing away a strand of hair in front of my eyes. He was always good at the romantic stuff. He never hesitated to touch me unless I was angry at him, which used to be so rare… but now… it seemed like it was all I ever felt with him anymore. My body was shaking slightly in nerves and complete and utter confusion as Liam bent over and kissed me._

_I sighed feeling his warm lips press onto mine. It was all so familiar that I couldn't help, but fall into his arms. Surprisingly, he was the one who had pulled away first, leaving me breathless and panting. "I change my answer," he mumbled with a small grin. "I don't want this to end… I want you…"_

_I pulled my head back and rested a gentle hand on his chest. "Really?"_

_"Really."_

_I hesitated. "But if we're going to do this again, I need you to promise me that you'll try to actually make it work. I don't want you disappearing on me anymore. I want to be with you all the time."_

_He grinned that smile that always seemed to make my heart stop in my chest before pulling me into another long and lingering kiss. His hands were roaming up and down my arms as if trying to soothe me before his hands slithered to the base of my back. Before I knew it, we were already half- dressed and making- out on the King size bed non- stop. The moment felt so wrong, I was drunk, but at the same time, all I wanted to do was be with Liam._

_Liam rolled over and looked me in the eyes just when the making- out had gotten too heavy. "Do you want to keep going? I mean, like…." He stopped not really knowing how to say it, but I knew what he meant. Sex…. I had always said I would wait for the right moment, but right now, all I wanted to do was clarify that Liam was mine. He would always be mine, and I would always be his. This would make everything official… Right?_

_"Yeah," I simply nodded, not wanting to waste any time talking. He would only grow angry if I said no. We would only fight again. I would only loose him... I felt the light- headedness that came with the beer start to kick in as I felt myself loosing control of my own self. I pulled Liam in for another kiss, but he stopped me with hesitation in his eyes._

_"Are you sure? You really want this?" he asked, his eyes full of lust and wanting. I knew it wouldn't matter what I said anymore.  
_

_"Yes," I lied before he covered me in kisses once again._

_

* * *

_

_**A/N: This story is going to have 3 more chapters. WOOPS. I was going to fit so much more into this chapter, but it ended up being so effing long. Half of it was just them standing around before the courtroom. I have no idea how I wrote so much for one scene. HA. So the next chapter is when the official court scene starts. They'll be some twists and you'll start to get the truth little by little.**_

_**And Question: What's your thoughts on what happened at the end of the chapter? **_

_**ANd thank you for the 17 reviews last chapter! I loved your feedback so so much. I promise the next chapter will be up by this weekend. 3  
**_


	26. Chapter 25: The Truths About Promises

**_November 18th, 2009 (9: 12 P.M.)_**

_I wrapped a tight and protective arm around my best friend as she quietly sobbed next to me. I rubbed her arm, trying to calm her down, but it seemed like the tears just wouldn't stop escaping. Tommy Robinson was Selena's first official boyfriend, and after only two months of being together, he had dumped her out of the blue and hooked up with another girl in the lacrosse team; specifically Selena's lacrosse team. She had grabbed for her phone and called me the second that the jerk Tommy had hung up on her. Yes. He had broke up with her on the phone._

_The minute I heard her shaky and distressed voice on the other end say hello, I ran over immediately, not having to hear any more of what she had to say. When I found her in her room, she was a complete mess. Pictures and small mementos were scattered all over her usually clean carpeted floor. Selena Perry was always a neat freak, not a single leaf of paper or writing utensil could be out of its proper place, yet here she was when I found her, trashing her room around like a hurricane had hit her small bedroom._

_"Why?" she sobbed out, and I could tell she was trying to the best of her ability to hold back tears. She was always the strong one between me and Demi. She was usually the one comforting us during heart- breaks, not the other way around… Especially since Selena was always so picky with boys. We just assumed that by the time she finally settled for someone, all that time would pay off to that first person already being the one. I guess even the best can be wrong._

_"Why what, Sel?" I asked._

_"Why does it hurt so much?" she whispered, her voice shaking in cold pain. I only tightened my grip around her protectively and shrugged._

_"First heart- breaks always hurt the most," I explained, though I really couldn't relate to it the most. The only real relationship I've had was with Liam, and we were still going pretty strong. I couldn't help but wish Demi were here instead of being grounded at home for the next week. She was always good at this words and comforting._

_"I just don't get why he would do this," she sobbed even harder, her body shaking as the tears flowed out of her. "I really thought he loved me."_

_My mouth gaped open as a feeling of shock rolled over my senses. "He already told you he loved you?"_

_Instead of answering, her crying just got worse as she buried her tear- soaked head in between her knees and wrapping her arms around her baggy sweat pants there were so unlike Selena's usual wardrobe. It pained me to see my best friend hurting so much and knowing that I could do absolutely nothing to help, but the best I could give her was my company and my poor attempt at comfort._

_"Did you love him?" I asked, picking my words out carefully. Selena's shoulders shuddered in sobs under my touch, but her shoulders managed to move up in a small shrug._

_"I thought I did, but—" she stopped, biting her lip. "But right now, I feel like I hate him. All I want to do is hurt him for hurting me."_

_"That's reasonable," I chuckled softly. A small melancholy smile twisted itself onto my best friend's lips and I could feel her body relax and her breathing gradually slow back to a normal pace. Tears were still slowly streaming down her red chapped cheeks, but she looked a little better. "So do you care to tell me what happened here?" I asked motioning towards the chaotic mess of a room._

_"Well, when he hung up, the first thing I saw was this stupid little cheap bear he gave me on our first date, and I was just so angry and—" she paused, her eyes glazing over to a complete mess of stuffing spread around the floor like a starving rabid dog had swept over her room. I felt my mouth gape open at the shreds of cotton and white stuffing._

_"You did that?"_

_"I lost control… and then I saw a bunch of pictures… and soon enough I was attacking everything."_

_"Wow."_

_"I know."_

_And finally, we both broke into small laughter despite the fact that Selena was still tearing._

_"You're too good at this," Selena mumbled as her laughter died down, and her tears subsided._

_"Good at what?"_

_"Taking care of me, of us. You probably don't realize it, but you're always the mom of the group. Taking care of Demi, and me, and Joe, and Kevin, and Nick and Liam. I don't know what we'd do without you."_

_I felt a warmth spread across my face. "Really?"_

_"Yeah," Selena smiled tightly as she wiped away a few lingers drops of tears from her flushed cheeks. "Like this… I swear, an hour ago, all I wanted to do was jump out of my window, but you know what… you actually made me smile, Miley Stewart," she chuckled, nudging me softly on my shoulder. Just seeing her feeling better, made me feel better._

_"So I'm guessing all suicidal thoughts are now cleared from your head?"_

_She smirked. "Just maybe." I reached in for a tight hug with the one person I knew I would always call my best friend. . "You can go home now. I think I just need some time alone to think."_

_I stood up from her double bed. "Yeah. Of course. I'll see you later then?"_

_"I'll see you," she strained a smile once more, giving me enough proof that she really was okay or at least would be soon, before leaving the mess- filled room and moving one door down. I knocked, though it probably wouldn't have caused much a difference since Liam was blasting heavy rock music from his speakers. The sounds seemed to travel everywhere around the house, if not the block itself. Surprisingly, Liam's cute blonde head poked itself out of the door in the matter of seconds, and I held my breath as I stared back into the sea blue eyes that seemed to be looking straight into me._

_"Hey, you," Liam grinned, leaning forward to give me a soft peck on the lips. He widened the space in the door, giving me just enough room to slip in between the piece of wood and under his arm._

_"Hey." I felt a small smile spread across my lips which were still fresh from the kiss._

_"How is she doing?" Liam asked, taking a seat on his unsurprisingly messy bed, where the sheets were tossed around and the pillows being suspiciously missing. I followed him across the room and took the empty seat on the spot on the bed next to him._

_"Sel? She's not the greatest, but she'll get through it."_

_He brought his hand to the back of his neck and rubbed it slowly. "I was going to go in there and talk to her when I found out, but she was kind of um… in the middle of destroying everything in her room, and I chickened out."_

_A laugh rolled off my tongue as I stared up at the blue- eyed blonde. "You were scared of your own little sister?"_

_A smirk was embedded on his face as he shrugged. "I guess I'm just not prepared for all of this. I don't really know what to tell her… I just want her to make her feel better."_

_"You guys are close, huh?"_

_He shrugged casually, but a small smile was beginning to form on his soft pink lips as his fingers toyed with a piece of sky blue sea glass that hung around his neck. "Yeah… Maybe not as close as you two, but we're pretty close."_

_"Yeah. She talks about you a lot. And don't worry, I think she'd pick you over me any day," I grinned, knowing that it was the truth._

_Liam's face seemed to light up a bit as his smile grew bigger. "You really think she'll be alright? I feel like I should do the big brother thing and beat the guy up…"_

_I laughed, shaking my head and putting my hands up in the air. "No, no no, unless you want to be suspended, not to mention be kicked off the football team. I suggest you keep your fists to yourself and leave it to me."_

_I felt his long fingers reach under my chin and jerk it gently to face his blue eyes. A small curious smile was present on his amused face. "What are you up to, Stewart? You have that look in your eyes."_

_I closed my lips in a tight line and made a small act with my fingers of locking it and finally throwing my hands behind me. "You'll find out soon enough." The whole plan was already going through my head. Tommy was going to get what he deserved. I made a quick mental list to myself of what I needed to get before the poor kid met his maker on Monday; toilet paper, maple syrup, and glitter… a lot of glitter._

_"Promise me one thing," Liam's smooth and serious voice brought me back out of my thoughts. I turned towards him, suddenly realizing the importance in his voice. It was rare when Liam had serious moments out of his usual goofy exterior. "No matter what happens between us, promise me you'll take care of Selena for me. You're her best friend no matter what, and she needs you."_

_His large hands grasped my small ones in a loose grip, but the heat from his fingers spread warmth all through my body. "I promise."_

_

* * *

**May 9th, 2010 (10: 22 A.M.)**** {Present- Day}**_

"Order in the court! Order in the court!" the judge screamed out as people in the stands took their seats, trying their best to keep unnoticed and silent. I snuck a quick peek behind me where Demi, Joe, and Nick were all sitting with anxious and serious expressions spread over their faces. My parents were sitting row in front of them, my dad's arm wrapped around my mom's shaking shoulders as if trying to squeeze all the worry out of her. And finally, my eyes scanned over to Mr. and Mrs. Perry who were sitting near the back, staring to the front of room with blank stares; almost as if they were somewhere else but here.

A small nudge from Denise caused me to snap my head around, and she gave me a reassuring grin before standing up to state a few facts and hand a bit of paperwork to the Judge. Lissa, I remembered. That was her name. I stared at the dark aging brunette sitting in between a dark wood box with serious and tight expression embedded on her face. She looked so different, now in her long night- black robe, from the jeans and t- shirt I had seen her in last. I had caught her eyes watching me when she had first walked into the room, but almost as if breaking out of a trance, her eyes blinked a few times and avoided my direction ever since.

I looked over to Detective Wilden who was leaning back in his chair with his fingers tapping the oak desk placed in front of him in a slow agonizing rhythm that seemed to echo through the court halls. Or maybe it was just me. As if sensing my attention on him, his eyes met mine with an unreadable stare. He seemed rather amused for a brief second before he stood up, bringing his face back to a pensive and sober expression. I hadn't noticed that Denise had come back until I felt her hand pat mine as an act of comfort, but too much was stirring in my mind to take in her attempt.

"Mr. Wilden, what would you like to do?"

He nodded solemly and clasped his hands together before calling a few students for a bit of questioning. All of their answers summarized together to form one statement: I was the one who pulled the trigger.

I watched as students, classmates, even some people I could call vague friends step up to the stand, all of their eyes avoiding me, and answer the questions with no emotion in their voices. Except one. A girl in my English class had broke down crying in the middle of a question about whether she thought I was a danger or not to her to her peers. Since a single word couldn't slip from her cracking tear- soaked lips, not to mention her sobs got too much for the court to bear, they excused her and Wilden just called up another student to continue where she had left off. I was surprised as how many people he had ready. And especially how so many people were so willing.

My eyes went to the jury who were all watching the students tell their stories; some with blank expressions and some with completely moved eyes.

"Is it bad?" I leaned over and whispered to Denise. Her chin was in her hands as she watched each questioning intently. She twisted her head to look at me, but I couldn't read anything off in her eyes. She was too good at this.

"Not really," she whispered. "These people mean nothing since they aren't very close to you, so they wouldn't know you well enough to have a reliable story. You can almost call them a second- hand source. By the faces of most of the jury, they don't seem to care much about these people either… Don't worry. They won't have much effect in the final decision."

I nodded slowly, feeling a slight bit of relief wash over me, but as more and more people came up to be questioned, all of their stories pointing mental fingers at me, the relief seemed to wash away quickly. _This isn't enough. They don't know me enough,_ I thought to myself as I tried to calm my breathing. I wiped my sweaty palms on my pants as another student walked back to their seats. Detective Wilden paused as if finished, and Denise next to me, stood up smoothly.

"I would like to—"

Detective Wilden smiled a crooked grin and shook his head. "I'm not quite finished yet, Mrs. Hanson."

I watched as Denise's lips twisted into a grim line, which seemed to have been an attempt at a smile. "I'm sorry Mr. Wilden, but I just wanted to know when all this silly questioning is going to be over. I also have a part in this, if you didn't remember."

Detective Wilden flashed a forced smile and nodded. "Of course, Mrs. Hanson. But don't worry. I only have one more person to question, and the turn will be yours."

"Very well, Mr. Wilden. One more person. We don't have all day," Judge Harrison mumbled, obviously bored from the line of questions and witnesses, all having the same repeating story.

"Of course, your honor," Detective Wilden nodded and flashed a sweet smile that basically drenched with fakeness.

Denise's body tensed for a brief moment before she nodded swiftly and sat back down. Her hand snaked to mine and patted it again. "Just one more. It'll be okay," Denise whispered to me as we turned around from the sound of slamming doors. A person had just walked in.

Before my eyes settled on the petite brunette entering the court room, I could hear a few in- takes of breath right before mumbling overtook all the noise. My eyes finally focused on the mystery girl and the name seemed to slip off my tongue so naturally.

"Selena," I sighed out. It felt as if the whole room was holding its breathe as everyone's eyes were watching her walk down the aisle slowly. From what I could see, her face was expressionless. Her chestnut hair was swept back in a loose but neat pony- tail, and she was dressed professionally in a black office skirt and a simple white blouse tucked in. A fashionable leather belt, which was probably the most Selena- like item she had on, was hanging loosely on her hips. On her wrist, like usual, was the silver charm bracelet with the blue sea glass dangling off one of the chains, but that wasn't what caught my attention. Because around her slim neck, hung a necklace with black string and an equally identical

I felt Denise's hand which was still on top of mine freeze and I knew that this witness wouldn't be like any other of the past witnesses. I could almost sense Judge Harrison and the whole jury scoot over to a farther edge of their seat as Selena approached the box. This was a girl who was probably one of the people that knew me best, let alone one of the main victim's little sister.

"Take a seat, Ms. Perry," Detective Wilden ordered after finishing the oath. Selena nodded expressionless again and took a quiet seat on the chair. Her eyes were fixed on her lap, instead of looking at anyone else in the room. For most people, they would most probably have concluded that Selena was okay at the moment. She seemed calm and collected… But I, someone who's been with her through the hardest and saddest of times, know when Selena is hurting, and right now, hurt was the only thing I saw on her. My heart twisted around in my chest just seeing her across the room alone, and I could tell she was already on the brink of tears. _Take care of her, Miley. For me,_ Liam's voice played in my head. That memory had been haunting me so much recently that I felt as if I had the whole scene memorized in detail.

"So identify yourself to the courtroom."

"Selena Marie Perry."

"And are you generally close to the suspect?"

"Yes," she nodded slowly, biting her thin pink lips. "She was my best friend."

She said _was_, I thought to myself. I had to blink a few times to stop myself from slipping out a tear, but I squeezed my other hand tightly so that the physical pain would overlap the inner pair wanting to burst out. I couldn't break down. Not now.

"And as I heard you're related to one of the deceased victims… Liam Perry, am I right?" Detective Wilden asked as he looked through a paper- thick manila folder.

I watched as Selena swallowed and nodded. "Liam was my brother."

"Were you two close?"

Denise's voice rose out from the tense air. "Objection, your honor. How does their sibling relationship have anything to do with Ms. Stewart's case?"

Before Judge Harrison could reply back, Detective Wilden turned towards Denise with an impatient disposition. "I'm sorry for your lack of patience, Mrs. Hanson. I just wanted to clarify to see if Liam ever talked to her about his relationship with Miley. Because he is a big part of this case, is he not?"

Denise kept silent, but Judge Harrison's voice would have interrupted her if she had spoken anyway. "I agree Mr. Wilden. Objection overridden. Continue the questioning." Denise slid back into her seat silently, and I tensed up, ready to hear what Selena would say next. So far, she seemed to be able to keep it together, but I could tell from her unusually up- straight posture that she was nervous.

"So Ms. Perry, repeating the question, were you and Liam close?"

She paused for a moment before nodding. "We told each other almost everything."

"Did he tell you anything about a break- up?"

Her eyes snapped up, and hurt and confusion entered her eyes. I suddenly had an urge to push past Detective Wilden and everyone else and explain every single detail to her; to have her believe ME and no one else. "No. He didn't say anything."

"What about Ms. Stewart? Did she tell you about a break- up?"

She shook her head slowly, her eyes widening with even more confusion. "She didn't tell me either…"

"Well, from a few people, I've heard that they had broken up a few days before the shooting. Maybe around a week?"

"I didn't know…"

"Well, did Ms. Stewart ever show any weird behavior? Especially the week before the shooting on the 16th of March?"

"No. Not really. Nothing too significant I guess."

Detective WIlden looked frustrated as if he expected more out of her, but he simply shuffled through the folder more and continued. "Did you approve of your brother and your best friend's relationship?"

"Yeah. I mean, I was kind of worried at first, but then it ended up being really cool…"

"So you don't regret a thing? From what I heard, you were the one who introduced the two?"

"Yes," she mumbled. "It's true." I suddenly felt an urge to throw Detective Wilden out of a window. He was trying to make Selena feel as if it were her fault if I was really the one who had started the shooting that killed her brother.

"You didn't answer my question. Did you regret it?" he asked, walking a little closer to the stand where Selena was currently shaking.

"I don't regret it," she finally whispered, but the small mike in front of her seemed to amplify those four words even more. Detective Wilden sighed and shuffled through the folder once again before facing the jury.

"I didn't want to take this out, but we just got further study on the murder weapon," he threw a small shot- gun in a tightly closed Ziploc bag, onto the table and seeing the weapon only flooded back memories of the day in the locker-room back in my head… holding the small strange object in my hand… pointing…. pulling the trigger…

"And Ms. Stewart's fingerprints were all over the gun. She must have touched it multiple times unless she purposely decided to put her evidence all over the murder weapon."

Denise stood up again. "I think we have already heard these facts, Mr. Wilden. Nothing new. And I would also like to put in that maybe someone at this age like Ms. Stewart, who knows NOTHING of weapons such as this would have fumbled with the gun while holding it."

"Ah. But she did hold it!" Detective Wilden pointed out.

"There are many possible and innocent reasons that her fingers could have touched the gun," Denise stated, but she sat down, her mouth tied to a stern line instead of arguing any more.

"Thank you for your input, Mrs. Hanson, but that is not all. The autopsy results for Liam Perry were just gotten back from the state capital, and I think the results would interest you all."

He handed a quick slip of paper to Judge Harrison. Her expression went sober as she read the sheet of paper that was placed in front of her. Finally, she sighed as if exhausted."Go ahead. Permission to release information."

Detective Wilden nodded and turned back to the crowd and jury. "The results that we have just recently received back found skin under Liam John Perry's nails indicating that there was indeed a struggle in between the shooting and Liam's death…. The skin under Mr. Perry's nails matches the one and only Miley Stewart," he pointed his finger straight towards me, and I felt all breathe knocked out of me. I didn't have to pull up my sleeves to see the scars that had been left there; the scars that would always be there no matter how long I waited for it to heal. It would always be the one reminder of what happened, what I did.

A few short gasps erupted around the room, and the jury began to mumble between one another. Looking accomplished, Detective Wilden turned back around to face a completely stricken Selena. Her big chestnut eyes had grown wider than I had ever seen before, and her bubble- gum pink lips almost seemed to be quivering slightly.

"So Ms. Perry. Let's get to the point why we're all here right now. You seem to be one of the closest people to both Miley, Liam, and even one of the other vicitims, Kevin Hanson. Do you believe that your _friend_ Miley started that shooting that day? Do you think that she is the murderer of your brother, Liam Perry?"

She hesitated for a few minutes and I gripped my hand on my thigh, squeezing it until I felt all circulation in my body pause for just a moment. "I don't think so."

A soft cry sounded from the crowd and I didn't have to turn around to know who it was. Mrs. Perry. That mustn't have been the answer they had rehearsed.

"Even with all this obvious evidence, all pointing to your so called friend, you still don't believe that Ms. Stewart was the one who killed your brother?"

"No," she shook her head slowly and hesitantly.

Detective Wilden's eyes burnt with fury. "Why?"

She sat up a little straighter and looked him straight in the eye with so much confidence and courage that she almost looked identical to the strong, independent Selena I had first met that first week of freshman year. "Because she loved him."

* * *

_**March 13th, 2010 (10: 26 P.M.)**_

_I tugged the crisp white sheets around my shivering half- naked body even closer, despite the fact that there wasn't a single chill in the whole room. I shut my eyes and curled my body up in a ball trying to stop the excruciating inner pain bursting out of the seams of my chest. The space in Demi's guest bed next to me seemed wider and colder than usual and not being able to stare at the emptiness any longer, I instead faced the closed door. A thin sliver of gold light escaped through the bottom, and I watched silently as footsteps along with voices passed the door every few minutes. The same door that an infuriated Liam had stormed out through._

_What would have happened if I had gone through with it? Would he have stayed? Would I still have felt as if I had just lost everything? I felt tears slipping down my face as flashes of the last few minutes passed through my mind. Liam's kisses trailing down neck to my chest, his hands roaming down my back, more clothes ending up on the floor… And finally, my hand pushing his chest away from mine right when we were getting into it too deep. I remember his face, beat red as I told him I had changed my mind, that I wasn't ready for this. I remember the way that he quickly put his clothes back on and left without saying a word to me, without even looking at me. And for the first time, he left without saying I love you._

_I cried a bit more, letting my tears soak into the cotton blankets before picking myself up and putting my clothes back on. I wiped a few stray tears with the back of my palm before picking up my jacket and exiting the room. I could feel people's stares boring into me as I walked past silently and keeping my eyes on the floor. Whispers were surrounding me and it didn't take a genius to know who they were talking about. I spotted Demi and Joe in the middle of the living room, dancing like there was no one else in the room except them. They looked happy, and I had a strong gut- feeling in my stomach wishing that I could be like that again: Happy, care- free, completely and unquestionably in love._

_Selena was over at the drinks table talking to a few people from school, and she looked too into the conversation for me to bother her. I also didn't want to share this story with her right now. Especially when she would be coming home with him there today. I didn't want to give them a reason to argue. I scanned the room, still shivering from the last few minutes and ran a hand through my nest- like mess of a hair._

_I felt my body freeze over as I caught Liam near the front of the door, about ready to leave. His face was still pretty flushed, but a smile was creeping onto his lips as he stared at the girl in front of him. It was the mystery blonde again, and I watched in complete horror as she leaned forward and whispered something in his ear, her hand seductively on his shoulder and tracing down his arm. He pulled back with a playful smile on his lips before taking her hand and opening the door. I felt a surge of anger pulse through my veins. He couldn't do this to me. Not now. Not after what had just happened._

_For a brief second, I thought Liam's deep sea blue eyes looked right at me, but before I could be sure, he was already walking out the door with the mystery blonde following him with her slim hand in his.. Almost desperately, I ran towards the door with tears breaking through the surface of my eyes. I watched from the doorstep as he opened his car door and let her in before he entered the driver's seat himself. It wasn't impossible to figure out where they were going or what they would do._

_I watched, my sight blurring from tears. The mystery blonde seemed to turn towards me, noticing my presence. And I met a flash of electric blue eyes before the car sped up down the street and disappeared. He was gone._

_Suddenly, the desperation subsided and pure and powerful fury had taken its place. I stormed back into the house, my tears already flowing down my face clearly. Luckily, everyone was paying too much attention to the party and themselves to notice me slam back into the guest bedroom where everything had gone wrong. I pulled out my phone from my jacket and dialed the first number that came to mind._

_"Hello?" a groggy voice asked from the other line._

_"Snort…" I sobbed out, my tears falling freely._

_"What is it, Miley? What's wrong?" his voice demanded, getting protective. He had been getting more defensive over me more and more in the last few weeks we had hung out, ever since the incident with his parents_

_"It's Liam…"_

_"What did he do?" he growled out. Patrick was never a fond fan of Liam, and what I was going to tell him wasn't going to help it any more._

_"We almost did it…"_

_"IT?"_

_"Almost," I explained in between sobs. "I said no and stopped him. He got angry and stormed out. And then… and then he left with another girl."_

_"What did she look like? Blonde?"_

_I paused and stayed silent only hearing Snort's soft breathing on the other end. "How did you know she was blonde?"_

_"I tried to tell you before, but I … saw…" he kept pausing and his voice had become a soft mumble that I couldn't understand._

_"What?" I asked, my sobs over- taking anything that I could hear._

_"Never mind," he mumbled quickly. "But how are you?"_

_"Are you serious? I feel like crap. I hate him for doing this to me, for hurting me like this. I want to hurt him so bad…"_

_"I know how you feel."_

_"How?"_

_"When I was 7… my dad cheated on my mom. She was never the same after that. He still does it, but she just drinks and takes pills to numb herself from finding out even though she knows its happening right in front of her. She doesn't think I know either, but I see the pain in her face every day. "_

_"I'm sorry," I mumbled, not having even thought of that when I had first met his parents. That must have been the incident that happened when he was 7. The one incident that changed him forever._

_"I just don't want that to happen to you. You deserve so much better than that, Miley."_

_"But I love him… but right now, I hate him at the same time," I grumbled, only confusing myself even more. "I'm just hurting so much and it won't stop."_

_"Stop crying, please. What can I do?" he asked, his voice getting desperate._

_"I want to hurt him," I whispered, my voice shaking. "I want to hurt him for doing this to me." I remembered when Selena had her first heart- break we had attacked the stupid guy who actually had the mind to hurt Selena by humiliating him in front of the whole school. My mind was already forming around for something to do._

_"Do you really mean it?"_

_"You'd really help me? Promise?"_

_"I promise. I'd do anything for you. We are friends, right?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"And friends do anything for each other. You're one of the only people I trust, Miles."_

_A small smile crept on my lips despite the fact that tears were still flowing down my cheeks. "What are we going to do?"_

_A pause on the other line. I could only hear breathing echoing from the phone speakers before Snort's soft voice sounded. "I'll take care of it."_

_Before I could ask any more, the click sounded and the line was dead._

_

* * *

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**A/N: So as you can see you guys are learning a bit more and more of the shooting. I hope it's not going to be too predictable when I reveal the whole scene. Hahaa.**

**So the reason I asked what do you think happened in the end is because I wanted to know if you guys actually thought she went through with it. Which she hadn't. And the end reveals a lot of the motivation behind what happened, but more will be revealed in the next chapter. **

**And after the next chapter, I'll post the final chapter where the truth will finally be reveal. Sorry if this was a long wait, but I'll try to finish the next chapter soon enough.**

**P.S. Thanks for the 19 reviews last chapter! WOO. 3**


	27. Chapter 26: The Truths About Trust

**A/N: Warning: This is a very long chapter. Almost 8,000 words. LMFAO. Sorry. I couldn't help it. I just wanted to make an Author's note saying that the next chapter will show the flashback of what really happened .The long awaited chapter. Ha. I can't believe this story is about to end. I've really enjoyed writing this story, because it's been different from all the other stories I've written. Thank you for those who have been reading and reviewing from the start. ILUVYAGUYS3**

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_**March 14th, 2010 (5: 20 P,M,)**_

_"Miley?" Selena's worried tone of voice brought me back out of my thoughts of worry. I hadn't realized the phone that was pressed up against my ear, and I definitely couldn't remember when I had even picked it up. "Are you okay? I haven't seen you since the party last night."_

_"I've been studying for tomorrow's history test," I explained, trying my best to keep my voice straight and believable. I didn't want her to hear the hurt in my voice, giving away the fact that I had been crying for the last few hours. Part of it was the truth though. I was studying for my history test, or at least trying, but thoughts of Liam always kept invading my mind. No matter what I forced myself to concentrate on, I always found my mind wandering to questions that I knew I didn't really want the answers to. Who was the mystery girl? Where did they go? Did he cheat on me?_

_But I knew none of these questions would ever get answers._

_"Miley? You still there?" Selena's soft voice kicked me out of my stream of worries._

_"Ugh. Yeah. I just need to study. Is it okay if I just call you later?"_

_"Sure. Good luck with the test. If you need to talk or anything, just call me!" Selena added. Sighing, I said a quick goodbye before hanging up. She knew something was up. She was starting to know me better than I knew myself, and I wasn't exactly sure whether to feel flattered or scared. I hung my head in my hands, running my long wiry fingers through my waves of chestnut hair that was left down in a chaotic mess. Right now, I knew despite what I did to concentrate, there was no getting Liam John Perry out of my head. I loved him too much to move on, and I was too weak to let go. I couldn't have it end like that, no matter how much the truth that seemed to be perfectly laid out in front of me hurt._

_A loud banging on my door caught my attention, and I opened it to find a completely drunk- looking Liam at my door. My heart thrashed in my chest seeing him so close to me ever since last night when our huge fight blew up. I knew I should be angry and screaming at him to get out of my house, but at the same time, I couldn't conjure up enough strength to say anything. My mind was yelling at me to push him away, but the only thing my heart was telling me was to jump into his open arms._

_"Miley," he mumbled, his voice rough and groggy as if he had just woken up from a long, long nap. He was dangerously swaying side to side and I could tell that he had way too much to drink._

_"What are you doing here, Liam? Are you okay?" I asked, my protective side coming out and overpowering the anger at what he had done. Right now, all I wanted was to make sure Liam was okay, which at the moment, didn't appear to be true at all from the way his sweaty and flushed face stared at me in a dazed and lost expression._

_"And don't you have football practice?" I asked, my mind a complete chaotic mess as I glanced over to the wall clock flashing a set of numbers that indicated Liam should be in the middle of a practice right now._

_"I skipped it to see you," he explained quickly, his lust filled eyes looking straight at me. He never skipped practices. Football was the most important thing to him, even more than me. Skipping practice might as well have been a death sentence._

_I put my head in my hands and shook my head, trying to clear all the confusion swarming together and forming an excruciating head- ache. "Why? Why would you do that? You can get kicked off the team."_

_"I don't care. I came here to win you back," he mumbled quickly, his words piling together to make a jumbled mess._

_"Right," I said simply, because I didn't know what to say anymore. "But was drinking really necessary?"_

_He shrugged his huge shoulders. "I was a coward, Miley," he said before he started to sob._

_There's something about watching a guy as big and tough looking as Liam to cry that just sends you over the edge too. Before I knew it, I could feel Liam's large fingers reach under my eyes to wipe something off my cheek. "You're crying," he whispered, his voice softening to a more tender tone._

_I laughed softly through my tears. "You're crying too."_

_"I didn't mean to make you cry…"_

_I wiped at my face with my hand, embarrassed at my own weakness. "I'm sorry."_

_Liam shook his head and quickly grabbed for my hands. "You shouldn't be. You didn't do anything wrong. I was the jack- ass who walked out on you. I should have known you weren't ready. I'd wait a thousand years. Hell. I'd wait forever if not longer as long as I had you. Please forgive me. Please, Miley… Miles… Mi… I love you so so much. And you know, I can't live without you. You're my Miley."_

_I hiccupped through tears, but felt a small smile creep onto the corners of my lips. "Really?"_

_"Forgive me… please," Liam whispered, kissing my hands and wrists so softly it was as if he were kissing fragile glass that could shatter beneath the touch of his lips. No matter how much my heart wanted to say the words that would let everything pass, my brain wouldn't stop sending me flashes of the mystery blonde that he had left with last night. He probably didn't even know that I had seen them leave together that night. He would never know, I thought to myself. He doesn't need to know._

_From the many years I've known Liam, I've learned that I needed him more than anyone else. He was the solid rock in my life; he was my stability. And without that rock, so many things could hurt me, attack me, make me fall down. With him with me, I would always feel immune to everything, invincible even. I didn't want to lose that. I didn't want to lose him. He meant too much to me, and I knew no matter what he said or did, I would always love him forever… So instead of pushing him away or even questioning him about last night, I did the next best thing I could think of and erased every memory from last night, from the kisses that led to way more than I asked for, to his quick escape with another girl, and stored it all away from the surface of my mind and to a safe location in my heart that would never bother me._

_I don't remember, I don't remember, I don't remember, I don't remember. I echoed the words in my head repeatedly until I finally managed to make myself believe them. I looked down at the completely willing guy kneeling before me and kissed his forehead as I smoothed down his thick coat of blonde hair. His sea blue eyes met mine with such intensity that it almost seemed as if all signs that he had been drinking had been swiped off his face._

_"I forgive you."_

_

* * *

**May 9th, 2010 (10: 50 A.M.)**** {Present- Day}**_

"Court Recess for 10 minutes!" Judge Harrison slammed down as she announced the words to the room. I felt my body heave in a sigh of what wasn't exactly relief, but rather exhaustion. Selena's words were still echoing in my mind, and I twisted my head quickly around to find her out of the swarming crowd, but before I could go anywhere, arms were around me, squeezing me and pulling me into tight embraces of comfort.

"It's going to be okay," Demi whispered, right next to my ear. "You did great."

I couldn't say anything, because I didn't want to say anything, or rather I've run out of reassuring words to say to people, to prove to themselves that I was okay even though I wasn't. Next, Joe came over and wrapped me in a tight and friendly embrace. He didn't say anything for once. And finally, Nick walked over, his hands in his pockets casually as he stared at me through those intense chocolate brown eyes. For the first time that day, I was the one who threw my arms around his neck and pulled him closer instead of the other way around.

He's my rock now, I thought. He's my stability.

I melted into his arms as they wrapped around my waist securely, and for that moment, I wish time would have suspended, just for us. I buried my head into the warmth radiating from his neck and I breathed in his familiar scent, feeling my body relax from the comfort he was so easily giving. "I love you," I whispered, not wanting to hold anything back. I only had so much limited time left.

"I love you too," he smiled, kissing my hair. "And we have the rest of forever to say it to each other. Don't worry."

"How can I not worry?" I whispered, my head still leaning on the space where his shoulders and neck met.

"There's always a brighter side to everything, Miles. You just have to find it," he said simply, before kissing my head one more time and finally pulling away to bring us back to reality. Denise, I, Nick, Joe, and Demi all walked out of the court room quickly, following the crowd of people exiting to finish tasks before the hearing would start again. I turned the corner the minute I was able to escape the double door and faced my parents wide- eyed and nervous. I walked over awkwardly until I stood right in front of them.

"How are you?" my mom asked, playing with her own hands nervously, almost like an innocent and unsure child still having so much to learn about the realities of life.

I shrugged and crossed my long arms in front of me sighing. That had to be the one question that I was asked the most in the last few weeks, few months, even in life in general. Obviously, people knew the answer, yet they still manage to make us repeat it, and most of the times, our answers were lies. Because it was the easier choice; easier than the truth… Well, I'm tired of lying. "I'm scared."

My mom's eyes widened just slightly before her lip began to quiver. I watched as my own mother sobbed in front of me, my heart- breaking into pieces from the process. I immediately wrapped her in my arms, and I realized that I had grown taller than her. I wonder how much of life I had missed these last few weeks, because right now, I felt like a stranger in my own life. "How did this all happen to us?" my mom whispered through tears. "What did we do to deserve this?"

I tried my best to soothe her by rubbing her back gently, because I truly didn't know what to answer. What had we done to deserve this? Why did this all have to happen to US? "You didn't do anything, Mom. It's just me."

"You know it's not true. We're all connected," she whispered to me softly, her voice shaking slightly as tears overrode her words. I stayed silent, trying to comfort her to the best of my ability, when I saw Dad step up and open his arms, letting mom enter in them comfortably. I looked up at the tall man that had always been there for me, ever since I could remember. I remember the times when he would carry me on his shoulders so high that I thought I was invincible to everything else in the world, or the times when he had wanted me to be a boy, so for the first two years of my life, he only allowed me to wear sneakers and baseball caps. I also remembered the times when he said that one day, I would become the most beautiful lady in the whole wide world. And I would just laugh and scrunch up my nose in disbelief before running into his huge trunk- like arms and bury my 7 year old self into the familiar scent of his flannel shirts.

"I'm so proud of you, Miley," Dad smiled warm- heartedly.

"How?" I mumbled, confused. "Why?"

"Because of how strong you've become," he explained slowly, his words hitting me one by one. I looked up to meet the warm brown eyes of my father and smiled. "You're not my little girl anymore."

I felt another smile tugging onto my lips as my mouth curved into a grin. "I love you, Dad."

An identical smile formed on his face as he stretched out his other arm, for me to slip through. Grinning, I entered his familiar arms and remembered the times when I would merely go up to his knees. Now I was almost as tall as he was too. He squeezed me and my mother, each of us wrapped in one arm and smiled. "The two most important woman in my life."

"Thanks, dad," I blushed, finally slipping out of his arms. They flashed me a few more good luck's before walking off to prepare for when the second part of the hearing would begin. I was already shaking with anticipation. Nick's arms were around me instantly. "You okay?'

"Just worried, I guess."

Nick pressed his lips to a tender spot of skin right above my temple, and whispered, "Don't be. It's going to be okay. And after all of this is over, we're going to go celebrate at Pop's. And you can order all the pizza that you want. Okay?" he stated so seriously, that I wondered if he ever considered the clear fact that I would lose the case; that I would be locked up for the rest of my life after today, that I would never see him again. My mind started wandering to places I didn't want to think about.

"Nick," I whispered softly. He turned his head towards me with curiosity and love filling his eyes. "If it doesn't turn out okay, promise me you'd move on without me. Fall in love with someone else. Live your life."

His eyes filled with sadness, and I instantly regretted ever saying anything. But at the same time, I was relieved that it was able to escape the cages of my mind. It had become too heavy to keep in any longer. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him, letting the kiss build slowly. "I love you, Nick Hanson, but you have to promise me that."

He kissed my forehead for the longest time, as if he couldn't bear to let go, before meeting his eyes back to mine. "What if I can't?"

I shook my head, tears begging entrance to fall. "You have to. I don't want you to lose any part of your life because of me. I want you to be happy, and raise a family, and grow old, feeling like you've lived your life at the fullest you can live it. I don't want you to look back and just see regrets."

"I will do all those things," he smiled, looking straight at me, his eyes burning with intensity. "With you, and only you."

I shook my head, a few tears already slipping down my red cheeks. But at the same time, a small smile was curling on my lips from his sweet words. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"

"Because I love you," he grinned, kissing a tear on my nose. I laughed and leaned my head on Nick's chest, feeling relaxation and comfort sweep over my body as he rocked us back and forth gently, almost as if we were dancing. I suddenly remembered the time when he had brought me down to the lake, and we spent the whole night dancing barefoot under the moon. No music playing except the humming of our voices blended together.

"I love you too, Nick Hanson," I smiled, wondering what I did to ever deserve the curly- haired warm- hearted guy in my arms. He kissed me once more before letting me go. I gave him a raised eyebrow, wondering why he had let go, but his head nodded to a tall slim brunette standing behind us, waiting.

"I think someone wants to talk to you," he smiled reassuringly. He squeezed my fingers once more before walking away slowly to talk to Joe and Demi. I took a deep breath, my lungs shaking in anticipation, as I turned around to meet the brunette with the strongest face I could make.

"Selena," I murmured as I stepped closer to the anxious face of Selena Perry. She was toying with a familiar black string on her neck, and my mind suddenly connected the string to where I had seen it before. "Liam's necklace looks nice on you," I complimented, deciding not to mention that I had been the one to return in. She looked down and pulled the piece of blue sea glass, the same color as Liam's eyes, and smiled softly. She wrapped her palm around the glass so tightly that her knuckles had gone white.

"Thank you."

"It's the truth," I smiled, rocking back and forth on the heels of my feet, not knowing what else to say, except knowing that I wanted her to stay and talk to me about everything. I wanted my best friend back. "I'm sorry, Sel. For everything."

"I know you are," she smiled sadly, her hand still tightly wrapped around Liam's lucky necklace. "But for what? That's what I want to know, Miles. You keep apologizing, but I don't know for what…"

I smiled, knowing that half of it was true. Sometimes, I didn't even know what I was apologizing for anymore. I just felt like it was all that was left that I could give. I met the hazel eyes of my best friend and explained. "I'm sorry for wrapping you up in all of this. Making you go through so much more than you need too. All of this," I motioned towards the cramped court- room and the swarm of photographers and news- casters trying to peep through the windows for a story. "All of this wouldn't have happened if I wasn't here."

Selena looked around at her chaotic surroundings and shrugged as if we were standing in a deserted street instead. "You can't change life's plans, Miley. You were always the one who told me that. There's no rewind button, as much as we want there to be. And all this, has been an um… learning experience, I guess you can say," she laughed softly, her serious and worried expression easing up just a slight bit.

"But Liam—"

Selena paused, her smile faltering just a bit. "Liam's gone, I know, no matter how much we wish he wasn't… But that was life's plan for him. Everything happens for a reason. No matter how much we try to fight against it."

I let her words slip in before finally reaching over to hug her. For a second, I hesitated on telling her that we did break- up and telling her about Taylor Sumner, but I knew that it wouldn't make anything better. It wouldn't make all this court- stuff disappear. It would only make Selena even more upset, and being a cheater wasn't the lasting impression I wanted Selena to remember her older brother in. As children, people always looked up to superheroes, to depend on them; whether it was Batman or Spiderman or Superman… Well, from the very beginning, Liam was always Selena's superman. He was her rock just as much as he was mine. And telling her all of Liam's faults that she never got to know about, wouldn't bring Liam back or stop any of this. I wanted her to remember her hero as the best he was.

"Where have you been the past few days? I heard you didn't go to school for the last week," I asked, wanting to change the subject before anything would slip from my lips.

Selena shifted awkwardly. "My parents wouldn't let me go to school, thinking that you would be there."

My fault again, I thought. I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Your mom dropped by a few days ago to give me a bunch of my stuff from Liam's locker…"

"She told me," she said slowly. "I'm sorry about my parents. They're just still in a complete shock with Liam being gone. Mom and Liam were always really close. Something happened while she was still pregnant with Liam, and she almost lost him in a miscarriage… Ever since then, she's always been so protective over him… Like she's scared she's going to hurt him again. "

I felt a building pain in her chest as my eyes flickered to the Perry family behind Selena's shoulder watching us closely. "Tell her I'm sorry. Please."

"There you go with your sorry's again," Selena smiled. "None of this is your fault."

But it is, I thought to myself. I wanted to scream the words at her, to tell her the truth, but my mouth couldn't find the strength to release the words that had been locked up in my heart for too long a time. "Are they angry with you?" I managed to mumble out. "About defending me? What you said in there… those weren't the words that you guys practiced, was it?"

She smiled, her lips twisting into something more curious. "No, it wasn't… but it was worth it. I trust you, Miley. We all trust you."

"You shouldn't," I whispered, rubbing my arm nervously.

"That's your problem, Miley. Everyone trusts you, but it doesn't matter, huh? Because the one person who probably doesn't trust you is… you."

I bit my lip, taking in Selena's words, but decided to say nothing. That was the thing. With lies, I could open my mouth and it would all fall out freely, but every time it came to the truth, it felt as if there was a huge blockade from my brain to my lips. Lies were just easier… I ran a hand through my loose waves of hair and sighed, knowing that I only had limited time left. "If I did do it, would you hate me?"

Selena's large hazel eyes widened as she seemed taken back from the question. Finally, she gained back her composure as she looked me straight in the eye. "Everyone makes mistake. Some just bigger than others, but they're still all the same… mistakes." She paused, closing her eyes for just a few seconds before continuing. "I wouldn't hate you for that. The only thing I would be upset for is if you keep all of this to yourself. I know you know what happened that day, Miley. And I know it's hurting you; keeping all of these secrets on yourself. It's hurting you every day."

I kept silent, knowing that it was true. For the last month, I had been trying to push away the secrets and truths of that day to the farthest dark corner of my mind, and replacing its spot with made- up stories and lies. When pushing away the truth, I meant to push away the pain of knowing with it, but no matter how much I pushed it away or no matter what I did or said, it would always be there. Killing me from the inside out.

"The one thing you could do for me, for all of us you're constantly apologizing for, is to tell us the truth. We at least deserve that. Please, Miley." Selena's large puppy- dog like eyes, without even trying, stared up at me, and I knew she meant it. I had to look down to the floor to keep myself standing up. I bit my tongue so hard that pain was erupting all my senses.

Finally, knowing what I finally had to do, the only thing that would end all of this, the one solution that had always been staring at me straight in the face, finally came to me. Letting the decision play through my mind, I wondered what would happen to me, if my choice would change the decision the jury had already so clearly made in their heads.. but I knew it didn't matter. I was doing this for the people I had hurt that day. I was doing this for myself. Lies might be painful to tell, but the truth is one of the things that truly can eat you up from the inside until you're nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I looked up to meet Selena's anxious and expecting eyes, and found the strength to nod. A small sad smile twisted onto her pink lips before she hugged me. I wrapped my arms around her just as tight, taking the moment in before I would have to walk back in there and do what I should have done from the very first day I heard the blood- curling shots ring out through the deserted hallway.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to Selena as I pulled away from her arms.

"What is it for this time?" her lips curled curiously.

"For having to hurt you again… What I'm going to say in there isn't going to be what you want to hear. You're going to regret your words, Sel. You are going to hate me."

Her wide doe- like eyes searched mine for some recognition of what I was talking about, but I shook my head. "Miley…" she started, but there didn't seem to be anything that she could say after.

I looked at my speechless and bewildered best friend once more before turning around and walking back towards the court- room where Denise was chatting with another business woman holding a cup of coffee. She saw me approach, and she excused herself politely before walking towards me. "Hi. What's wrong?"

"I want to go up there… to the stand. I want a chance to speak," I explained quickly. From all the people standing up there trying to decide what I was going to do with my life and trying to piece together what I had done, I realized that out of all the people they had called up, they had forgotten the one person who knew me best; me. I was the one who knew the truth, I was the one who knew those people more than anyone else, yet no one wanted to hear what I had to say.

Denise bit her lip anxiously. "Are you sure? I guess I can call you up as my…"

"Yes. I want that," I finished for her knowing that we only had limited time left. People were already piling into the court- room once again. I watched as Nick flashed me a small encouraging smile before entering the court- room with his hands stuffed in his pockets. Demi and Joe followed him, smiling and laughing at something the other had said, their hands holding onto the other's so tightly that it seemed that it was an impossible task to let go. Selena made her way after them, her parents next to her stiffly. Her mother was tearing, but no sobs were emitted from her. People from school passed by me, giving me melancholy smiles and some people actually waving, almost as if they were saying goodbye. They all deserved better that this, I thought to myself. And finally, a tall raven- black haired woman stepped up to the entrance of the court- room door and I felt myself take a step back from the slam of realization. Standing a few feet away from me was Patrick's mother Louisa Nelson. She looked breath- takingly beautiful, and she was alone, Mr. Nelson no where in sight. And as odd as the sight looked already, the raven- haired beauty turned her head to me and smiled a sad smile that reminded me so much of Patrick that I had to bite my lip from calling to her. And just like that, the moment passed and she had disappeared into the room as if she hadn't been there at all.

"What are you going to say?" Denise asked, slapping me back into reality. I looked up to meet the eyes of the woman defending my faith, one of the people who defended me from the very beginning. Quickly, I wrapped my arms around her, whispering thank you's until my mouth ran dry. When I finally pulled back, I could see Denise's own eyes watering. It was so out of her character which was usually so serious and professional that I found myself tearing also.

"I'm going to say something I should have said a long time ago, Denise," was all I said before we marched back into the room full of people all holding their breathes for the hearing to start once again. I looked up and down the aisles at the familiar faces staring back and me and tried my best to conjure up a smile. I took a seat at the wooden desk set up for me and Denise as we waited for Judge Harrison to step into the door and begin. My eyes wandered up the pedestals of the court room to a spot near the ceiling where three marble statues of angels stared back at me with tender looks. I smiled, imagining each of them being Liam, Kevin, and even Patrick. I imagined them sitting there, watching over me like they were supposed to, like they always promised.

Finally, my eyes wandered back to Judge Harrison as she stepped back into the court- room. I wished that her niece was safe and at home, getting ready to live a full life. I wished that she wasn't in this situation, having to make the decision on a person who could have easily been the reason of her niece's death. But Selena's earlier words played through my head once again. Maybe things did happen for a reason, but at the same time, our choices are added onto what was already decided. We all have choices to change whatever we want.

I felt Denise tug on my arms just after the room silenced down and the hearing official begun. Slowly, I stood up from my chair and walked up to the stand, everyone's eyes watching me closely. I shut my eyes as I took a seat on the cold wooden seat waiting for me, and I thought of all the people I had hurt from all the lies that I allowed to come out of my lips. No matter what people said, I was a coward. Not knowing it, I had been running from my lies as early as I could remember. I never had enough strength in me to turn around and face them. Luckily, throughout my life, those lies never caught up to me… until now. And now as I stood in front of all these people depending on me, I truly saw how big of a mess of lies I had truly made.

Well, today, I decided I was tired of running. It was finally time to turn around and face the truths that had been a step behind me from the very beginning.

* * *

_**March 15th, 2010 (2: 10 P.M.)**_

Liam and I were back together, I cheered in my head. Liam, after sobering up from yesterday, decided it was a time to celebrate and put everything that happened behind us. We called Selena, Demi, Joe, and Nick to join us as we went out to eat. I was currently linking arms with Demi and Selena as Liam, Joe and Nick were busy chatting up stuff about sports and who knows what. It felt like how it was suppose to be. Smiling, accomplished at how everything seemed to work out, I didn't notice the commotion happening on the block across from us. I could recognize some guys from the football team surrounding someone who was definitely smaller than them, since the person seemed to disappear completely into the crowd. Liam jogged across the street to see what was happening, and everyone followed him wondering the same exact thing. I felt a fear rise in my chest as we approached the screaming group, and a dark head of hair poked out from the center of the crowd.

"Heard you father brought back a show- girl from Vegas." Someone in the crowd smirked as they pushed the dark- haired boy in the center of the crowd. I felt my heart thrash in my chest as I saw the familiar pale face of my friend, Snort. He didn't seem to say anything, but hold his fists to the side and take in their blows. A few more shouts were thrown at him, most of them relating to his parents, as I pushed myself into the crowd and stumbled to the front. I felt my heart twist as his dark eyes flickered to me, helplessly, dependently. I watched as he took a step towards me before another scream broke through.

"Your mom cut herself again, Snort?" a smirk- filled Jackson screamed out, causing the whole crowd to break into loud and confused mumbles. Snort stopped in his tracks, his body frozen and his face unmoving from its serious and grim expression. What was going on? What was Jackson talking about? I asked the question through my eyes, too scared to say anything, but Snort didn't seem to have the strength to meet my eyes. "Yeah. That's right," Jackson continued. "My mom told me. She was on a late shift at the hospital tonight, and she heard that they found his mom in the bathtub with her wrists slashed open. Heard the whole tub was filled red with her blood."

I felt my whole body shiver in horror as Jackson's words slipped out of his mouth and into the open air. I looked over to the still unmoving Snort, to search for answers to all of this, but he didn't seem to have anything to say either. The shocking news was spreading through the crowd and the attacks of words just seemed to be growing louder and louder. I watched in horror as they pushed Snort from person to person as if he were an inanimate object instead of a person, instead of my friend. I suddenly felt a hand grasp my elbow and I looked around to see Liam staring at me.

"We should go," he explained calmly, despite the chaos happening everywhere around him. I looked at Snort as he was helplessly being tossed around and attacked. Before I could answer, Jackson's loud voice spoke up again.

"Your cutter mom should just dress up as a freakin' whore so your dad will stay with her. She sure can look the part," Jackson winked to the crowd, looking like the complete asshole he was. Everything happened too quickly for me to take in as a quick bolt of movement caught my attention and a sickening snap was sent through the air. The whole crowd erupted before I could see what happened, but I had a good idea. Patrick's pale white fists were covered in blood as Jackson lay unmoving on the concrete. I stared in horror from Jackson to Patrick. The chaos of the screaming and angry crowd pushed through, leaving me stumbling away.

I found Selena, Demi, Joe, and Nick watching from across the street with frightened expression sketched all over their faces. I wanted to run over to them, to the safety of my friends, away from all of this… but I couldn't get my legs to move. Instead, my eyes went to Liam who was walking past me and trying to push through the crowd. I grabbed his arm scared. "Liam. Let's go. I don't want to be here anymore."

Liam's eyes hesitated, but he shook his head as he ran over to his friend Jackson who was still lying on the floor unmoving. He didn't even seem to be breathing from where I was standing. Liam kneeled over Jackson to feel for a pulse, and I watched as Liam helplessly tried to pump air into Jackson's lungs. Just when it looked like there was no hope left, and Liam was breaking into stressfilled tears, Jackson sat up quickly as if a jolt of energy had just been zapped into his body. Liam's face relaxed as he called over a few guys to help Jackson and bring him to the emergency room, just in case. I ran over to a still kneeling Liam and took him into my arms, trying my best to comfort him, but he pushed away with a determination in his eyes. "Get away from here, Miley," he growled as he stepped back into the crowd where Snort was throwing random punches. I wanted to shut my eyes, knowing what was about to happen, but it was as if I had no control over my body at all. I stood there paralyzed, staring as Liam pushed through the crowd and shoved Snort to the hard concrete.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Liam screamed, his hands in fists to his side. "What makes you think you can fucking punch anyone you want?" Just as Snort was shakily trying to stand up, Liam stepped forward again and punched him in the stomach. Snort toppled over, his face twisting in pain, but not saying anything. Frustrated, Liam kept punching him, over and over again… but still, Snort didn't make a sound. He just sat there, taking all the hits like he was waiting for something… something that would never come. With every punch, Snort's eyes seemed to stare at me the whole time, watching me just watch him.

Finally, I stepped forward, knowing that I was the only person who could stop this. I pushed through the screaming crowd until I stumbled forward and found myself in the front and standing right in front of Snort. His dark pupils stared at me with such intensity that I couldn't stare back at him. Instead, I looked over to Liam whose fists were still up, ready to strike, and I put my hand on his arm tenderly. "Liam. Please… Stop this. I want to go home," I sobbed, suddenly realizing that a small amount of tears were falling down my cheeks. Liam seemed to hesitate as he looked back between me and Snort, but finally, his shoulders seemed to relax. Instead of helping my friend off the ground, I instead turned to Liam and pulled him into my arms the minute his fists dropped back to his sides, I held him tight, not caring how many people were staring at us. Finally, I pulled away and found the one stare that was boring into me the most. Snort's night- black pupils stared at me and Liam with no recognition in his eyes. Instead he looked down, shaking his head sadly and disappointedly. I wanted to help him and tell him that I was sorry about his mom and all of this, but I knew Liam would just be angry… And I had just got him back. I didn't want to lose him again.

"Let's go," Liam said loud enough for Snort to hear. As I stood in between both guys, I looked back at the one who had become almost a best friend to me in the past year, and I wanted so badly to step away from Liam and help him up from the hard concrete ground. I wanted to give him the support and loyalty that he had given me when I needed it most… I watched with guilt filling my lungs and heart as Snort stared at me through his dark heavy eyelashes, begging me without words to come to him… But instead, I shut the connection line of guilt between my heart and my mind, and took a few steps back to where Liam was standing. Once again, Snort looked down at the concrete floor, helpless and alone. I flashed him the best, I'm sorry, look that I could manage, but he didn't seem to have the strength to even look at me anymore. Just before we left, he stepped forward and grabbed Snort by the collar of his shirt, which was now covered in blood. I wasn't sure whether it was Liam's, Jackson's, or his. But he looked like a complete mess. I didn't even know if he was going to be able to make it home alright.

"Listen," Liam growled, still holding Snort up by his collar, yet Snort didn't have a single trace of fear in his eyes. "Mess with my friends again, and I will beat your ass up until you're nothing. Nothing."

I tugged Liam's arm again, not wanting to hear anymore of this, and he looked down to see my worried and upset expression. He let go, and Snort stumbled back a few steps and had to lean onto a trash can to keep himself up and steady. I instinctively held out a hand to help him, but remembering the circumstances and the fact that Liam was next to me, I quickly dropped it back to my side. Snort seemed to notice the small action as something lit up in his eyes, but before I could read more into it, he had turned around, facing the other direction as if he couldn't stand to even look at me anymore. For a moment, I hesitated on my decision, wondering if I really had made the right one by taking the step backwards to Liam… But before I could think about it any further, Liam was already tugging me away from the slowly dispersing crowd.

"You're crying again," Liam whispered as we were far enough. I hadn't noticed the tears that were still streaming down my face until he had mentioned it. Liam held out a finger to wipe away some that were slipping down my cheeks, but I turned my head away quickly as I saw the blood on his knuckles… Snort's knuckles. He seemed hurt for a brief second, but hardness layered over it. Instead of saying anything else, I let him walk me back to the comfort of my own home.

* * *

_**(11: 20 P.M.)**_

Later that night, as I lay back on my bed, thinking about the events of today, the phone rang; the rings echoing throughout the too silent house. I reached over to my bed- side table to check who was calling, though I really didn't want to talk to anyone this late. I almost fell off the bed when I saw Snort's phone number flashing and flashing and flashing with each time the ring echoed again. I took a deep calming breathe, making a plan in my head of what I was about to say to him, before I clicked the luminescent green button, accepting his call.

"Hello?" I asked, hopeful that he wasn't too angry. Guilt was starting to rise up in my chest at what I had done today. I had left him there, alone and hurt when he needed me most. I had taken Liam's side when Snort had been loyal to me from the very beginning, and I had watched and said nothing as he was teased and attacked in front of my own eyes. I could have stopped it, I thought to myself.

A silence on the other end.

I would have thought that he had accidentally called me if I didn't hear soft breathing on the other end. "Hello?" I asked again, worry filling my head. Had he made it home okay?

"Miley," a voice finally croaked out. It sounded like Snort, but at the same time, it didn't. His voice seemed as if he were in a deep pain and there was another hint of something mixed in, but I couldn't really tell what it was. For a few minutes, it was just like that. Silence between both our phones except for the steady sound of breathing.

"I'm sorry," I finally mumbled out, but it was in such a soft whisper that I wasn't even sure if he heard. Instead of declining or accepting my apology his rough voice croaked out, "Don't come to school tomorrow."

I raised an eyebrow. "Why? I have a history test tomorrow and—"

"Just don't. Please. Make me that promise," Snort's hoarse voice, croaked out desperately on the other end. I knew he wouldn't give me a reason to why he was asking such a ridiculous request, but I shrugged and made the best reassuring voice I could manage.

"Yeah. I guess, if you really want me to," I lied.

Before I could say anything else to him, to apologize for what happened today, I heard a quiet but distinct click on the other end, and once again I was left alone to listen to the lingering echoes of my own soft breathing.


	28. Chapter 27: The Truths About Lies

_**May 9th, 2010 (11: 00 A.M.)**__** {Present- Day}**_

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

I swallowed the building knot in my throat and nodded my head slowly as if a thousand bricks had been placed inside my mind. I raised my hand up and sealed the promise of the decision that I should have done weeks ago. "I swear."

"You may now sit down," the middle aged man who had oathed me in concluded. I slipped into the cool smooth chair and felt a lingering feeling of loneliness sweeping over me. I was one of the only people on the side of the room, facing everyone else's anticipating and fear- filled stares. I dragged my eyes to the tangled hands in my lap and took a deep breath. _I could do this… I could do this… I could do this…._ I repeated those four simple words again and again until I managed to actually make myself believe them. Finally, I heard footsteps approaching the stand I was currently shaking in. I looked up expecting to meet the soft patient eyes of Denise Hanson, but instead I stared back into the black abyss of Wilden's burning pupils.

"Hello, Ms. Stewart. How are you today?" he smiled, shuffling through the same Manila folder he's had since the first day of hearing. I opened my mouth to say something, to ask what was going on, but no words could come out. I just stared at the tall dark man with my mouth gaped open. My eyes wandered to Denise, sitting there, watching me calmly. What was she doing? "Since you are the main suspect, the Judge had gratefully allowed me the opportunity to question you," Detective Wilden explained, noticing my wandering stares.

"Oh," I mumbled, ducking my head a little lower as I realized that the person questioning me would be one of the people who were against me the most. Detective Wilden flashed another fake smile before stepping forward.

"So is it true that you were romantically involved with Liam Perry?"

I swallowed and finally allowed the memories of Liam, my Liam, to sweep through my head. I took in every picture and moment and stored it in my heart for safe- keeping. "Yeah. For 2 years."

"And did you love him?"

I felt my body stiffen as the whole room held their breath, awaiting my answer. "Yes. I did."

"Did he ever tell you he loved you?"

"Many times," I smiled softly, remembering how he never failed to remind me.

"So would you say, Ms. Stewart, that you and Mr. Perry were in a serious committed relationship?"

"Yeah. I would," I answered quickly, but flashes of Taylor Sumner played through my head as the word _committed_ rolled off his tongue in an almost mocking tone.

"On the morning of March 16th, the day of the school shooting, please explain to me and the jury what you did, from the moment you woke up."

I paused for a while, and I wondered what would happen if I didn't say anything at all. Finally, I sighed, letting the day play over in my head. "I woke up around 7:00 A.M. I decided to just change first because I had taken a shower the night before, and I was already running kind of late. After that, I went online to check my email, and then I went downstairs to eat breakfast. I think I just had a piece of toast and orange juice. I stuffed an apple into my backpack for later, and I kissed my mom and dad goodbye before I leftl. My friend Selena picked me up in front of my house, and she was the one who brought me to school. My other friend, Demi, was already in the car when they got to my house… And then when we got to school, I went to the spot where Liam would always wait for me, under the huge oak tree in the front of school, but he wasn't there… So I decided to just follow Selena and Demi, who was now with her boyfriend Joe Hanson, and we went to the cafeteria to hang out and grab a snack before class started. We talked about school and the party that happened that weekend… And then Liam finally came in with the rest of the football team. Practice must have ended late for them. I sat next to Liam and everyone just started talking again, but the whole football team and us couldn't all fit on the table so Liam and I…" I stopped.

"You and Liam disappeared until the shooting began,' Detective Wilden finished for me.

"We went into the hallway to talk somewhere quieter," I corrected him, my voice becoming challenging.

"And you didn't hear the gunshots from the hallway?"

"Of course we heard the gun- shots. We ran into the boys locker- room to hide."

"Was it only you two?"

"I was only with Liam when I entered."

"So once you got in… tell me, Ms. Stewart. If you and Liam were the only ones who entered, who shot Mr. Perry? Who killed him? Because if you were the only other person in the room, and you say you didn't shoot him, that would mean Liam would have shot himself. Does that sound about right, Ms. Stewart?"

I placed my head in between my hands and shook my head. "No. Nothing like that."

"Then tell me, Ms. Stewart. Tell me what happened, because right now, everything you're telling me seems to be absolute lies," he stepped forward, his eyes staring at me with an infuriating intensity.

"I'm not lying!" I stood up frustrated, my voice filling with poisonous venom.

"Then who pulled the trigger that killed Liam Perry? That killed Kevin Hanson? That killed Samantha Harrison?"

The blood was pulsing into my head and I took a seat down and just kept shaking, not knowing what to say anymore. All I wanted to do was to tell the absolute truth, but I didn't know how to say it. How?

"Snort was there too," I finally confessed. My heart slammed inside of my chest, surprised at my own words.

"Snort?"

I realized I had almost forgotten his real name, but still, it managed to roll of my tongue so easily. As if it were any other name I was saying. "Snort was his nickname. Most other people know him as Patrick Nelson."

I heard a few gasps in the room, and I suddenly remembered that his mother was here too. Detective Wilden didn't look very nervous by my sudden confession, but he shuffled through the manila folder once again.

"Patrick Nelson was a victim, Ms. Stewart. He was shot in the leg…. It also says in this file that he did have some mental problems. Very unstable, very dependent of others, too overly- protective… He went to a mental facility for a year," he read off as if all he was saying meant nothing at all. I sat there horrified as I listened. Patrick had really been crazy, and I didn't know anything about it until it was too late. Finally, I thought to myself how this would help me, but it turned out otherwise. "It also says here, Ms. Stewart, that Patrick Nelson hasn't shown any suspicious behavior in 4 years. Some of his doctors even say he was cured."

"But—"

"And as far as I know, Patrick Nelson's finger- prints aren't all over the gun. Yours are. And as far as I know, Patrick Nelson wasn't the one covered in another person's blood. You were. And as far as I know, Patrick Nelson is already dead."

He was making it seem like I was only pointing a finger at him, because he was mentally unstable for part of his life; because he was an easy target… If they only knew…

"No…" I whispered my voice dropping into an almost inaudible tone.

"No what, Ms. Stewart?" Detective Wilden asked stepping forward.

"No. I'm not lying."

"Yet your story doesn't seem to match the facts."

"I'm not here to fill your heads with lies," I explained, my voice filling with complete and utter frustration. Detective Wilden took another step forward so that he was standing right above me.

"Then what are you here for?" he asked sternly.

I tore my gaze away from my lap and met the night- black eyes that stared back at me with an unreadable force. I captured the last of the strength and courage that I had buried within me, and opened my mouth to let the words slip off my tongue. "I'm here to tell what really happened that day, the real story… I'm here to tell you the truth."

* * *

**_March 16th, 2010 (8:30 A.M.)_**

_I felt Liam's strong and well- built arms wrap around me tightly as if letting go meant his falling also. His fingers were piercing the surface of my skin from the intense power of his hold, but the pain of his fingers and the scars that would be left there were nothing compared to the pain of fear pulsing throughout my whole body. Liam's steady voice as we huddled together behind a row of lockers were the only sounds I could hear except my harsh quick- paced breathing that seemed to push through my lungs as if wanting to explode. I tried to shut my eyes, but paranoia kept them wide open, waiting and waiting for something to happen. _

_ "It's going to be okay," Liam whispered. He was now rocking me in his arms gently, trying to seem like the calm collected one, but I could feel his own shivers vibrating next to me. I buried my head in his chest, not wanting to see the fear in his eyes that would only break me down even more. Liam was my rock. He wasn't supposed to be afraid. _

_ The wailing of the school's lock- down alarm was shrieking in the air all around us, but I was too scared to let my hands go from Liam's to put it over my ears. Even through the pounding head- ache, the distinct sound of an opening door caught both of our attentions. Fear and complete horror pulsed through my veins and my blood as I pulled Liam even closer, his erratic heartbeat pressed right up against mine. Tears were streaming down my face as a pair of heavy but slow footsteps sounded a few feet away from us. It seemed hesitant, as if searching for something._

_ It's searching for us, I realized. _

_I bit my tongue from screaming my heart out, and the fresh metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. Liam had stopped talking completely next to me, but his body just wouldn't stop shaking. I pulled him close, wanting my senses of fear to be overtaken by Liam's familiar scent, but all I could smell was dirt and sweat. I looked up to meet Liam's blood- shot sea blue eyes, but they weren't looking at me. Instead, they were looking at a dark- haired stranger entering the row of lockers we were hiding in. _

_ I felt fear and terror flood through me, but somehow in some way, I managed to force my body to look up and meet the dark pupils of Patrick Nelson. I felt my body push away from Liam's slowly as if a magnetic force was pulling me towards Patrick. _

_ "Patrick," I whispered in awe as I was about to run into my best friend's arms, apologizing for what I had done yesterday, and just tell him how happy I was that he was alright… But as I was mid- standing, Liam's strong arms pulled me back with such a force that I toppled over. I didn't need to look back at Liam and ask him why he had pulled me back. I saw the answer myself when my eyes trailed down Patrick's arm to the black hand- gun he was holding tightly in his left hand. A shuddering gasp escaped my lips as I pushed my back up to the lockers, as far away from his as possible. _

_ The dark- haired boy, whose eyes were blazing with fury and sadness at the same time, stepped forward slowly with his eyes straight on me. "I told you not to come to school today. You promised me," he whispered, his raspy voice sounding different from the voice I had known for the last year I had befriended him. I felt Liam push away from me as well, and the sudden space of emptiness on my sides caused a twisting and shattering in my chest. I had never felt so alone._

_I pulled my tearing eyes up to meet Liam's but all I could see in his sea of blue was absolute confusion as he stood on the other side of the room, a fair distance between me and Patrick. "You knew about this?" he screamed, his hands in the air._

"_I swear to god, I didn't," I begged and pleaded, trying to sound reasonable, but at the same time, the taste of vile lies filled my senses. When Patrick had called me yesterday, I didn't expect him to do anything like this. Nothing like this._

"_You told me you wanted to hurt him. To hurt everyone who wanted to hurt you," he explained calmly, taking another step forward. Reflexively, I slammed my body towards the lockers, trying to get as far away from him as possible. The dark eyes that were staring at me were not the same eyes that I had spent so much time with. Today, they seemed darker and wandering. I couldn't recognize a hint of the Snort I knew. _

"_This is not what I meant," I shuddered out, my voice shaking through sobs. I grasped the edge of the locker with my hands, pushing into them until I felt it ripping through my skin. "Did you really shoot everyone in there?"_

"_I had to," he whispered. "They deserved it."_

_I shook my head, everything in my mind a jumbled mess. "What are you talking about?" I screamed out, remembering Selena, Demi, Joe and everyone in school sitting in the cafeteria just a few minutes ago, thinking it was like any other normal day. What if they were gone now? What if Patrick had been the one to kill them?_

"_Patrick… please," I pleaded. "Put down the gun?"_

_He placed the weapon in his pale hands and a smirk grew on his face. "It's funny, isn't it? Everyone in this damn school thinks they own the world, make fun of whoever they want, live life selfishly like everyone else means absolutely nothing… but the minute you raise a gun at them, give them a reason to be afraid," he raised the gun and pointed it straight towards a wide- eyed Liam. "They suddenly respect you, say your real name… beg and plead to do anything for you."_

"_Son of a bitch," Liam growled, though his voice was clearly shaking as he stared at the gun pointed straight at his chest. _

"_I didn't want to do this, Miley," he said so simply, it was as if he were holding nothing but a piece of useless plastic in his hands. "But you just wouldn't let him go. No matter how much he hurt you. You came back to him."_

"_Why does it matter?" I screamed out, confusion piling on top of each other over and over again in my head until it was a shattering mess…. Yet even through the confusion, his words seem to push through the barricade of my mind and find some sense. Liam had hurt me… I swore to myself that I was strong enough to let him go, to find someone who would always choose me first… but I didn't. I wasn't strong enough… But what Patrick was doing wasn't going to solve anything either._

"_Patrick… put the gun down," I tried to say calmly, my voice hiccupping through sobs with each passing word. "Please… Not like this, not here."_

_He shook his head in the same disappointed way he had shown yesterday when I clutched onto Liam after the fight despite everything he had done to me. "Before I do this, I want you to understand why…"_

"_Nothing you tell me can be worth this," I cried out, breaking his sentence. _

_But he continued anyway. "It's true…. My mother did try to kill herself a few nights ago. I was the one who found her lying unconscious in the bathtub. There was so much blood… so much blood that you couldn't even see the white of the tub anymore. It was a flood of red... And my mom's head was hanging back, and for a second she already looked gone, but she was still whispering, and she called me over…. You want to know what she said to me?"_

_I stayed silent and luckily so did Liam. My heartbeat was pulsing in my ears so loud that I couldn't find the strength to react or move. I just stared at the pained dark eyes of Patrick and watched as he opened his mouth to continue the story. _

"_She told me that killing herself was the best decision she had made in her life… she said she hated my father… She said she hated me for being half of my father… She also said she hated everything she's become… she hated herself."_

_My body couldn't respond as I stood there, wide- eyed, my heart pounding through my chest in an almost excruciating rhythm my body couldn't keep up with. I couldn't imagine the beautiful breath- taking woman I had seen at that party become the chaotically depressed woman Patrick had just described to me . _

"_Patrick… I…" I opened my mouth wanting to say something to stop all of this, but nothing would come out except useless mumbles._

"_Do you know why she did it? What brought her over the edge to kill herself?... She caught my dad cheating on her with his secretary… in their own bedroom the night before. And it isn't the first time she's seen them."_

"_I'm sorry," I mumbled out, my words coming out in a short gasps. "But what does this have anything to do with this?"_

"_I don't want you to become like that. I'm helping you," he explained calmly, shuffling the gun in his hands._

_I threw my hands up as stressed tears poured down my face. "How is this helping me?" I asked, frustration rolling off my tongue._

_. "You don't deserve her," he spit out as he faced Liam. The gun was pointed straight towards his chest, a perfect aim that would kill him instantly. "You never deserved her."_

_I watched as Patrick held the gun up a little higher, his fingers twitching towards the switch that would end Liam Perry's life in a matter of seconds. But before I could get a scream out, Liam moved forward too quickly for Patrick to register. Before he could pull the trigger, Liam had slammed into Patrick's much lighter body as both boys toppled onto the ground. Liam was wrestling around to untangle the weapon out of Patrick's small fingers, but Patrick was fighting back as he kicked and shoved with as much power his meek body could handle. I watched all of this unfold, but my body refused to move; maybe it was because I didn't know who I would help, whose side I would join. Although, I was scared of Patrick, he was still my friend… one of my closest. I was one of the only people who could talk him out of what he was doing… But Liam… I didn't want to lose him either. He wasn't the bad guy in this. _

_Just as Liam's arms reached over to Patrick's small pale hands to grab the weapon, Patrick's arms flailed and his fingers released the weapon as it flew through open air. The quick action was too fast for Liam to notice as he was still hovering over Patrick instead of realizing the gun that had skidded right under my feet. The small gasp emitted from my lips caught Liam's attention as he snapped his flushed face to meet mine._

"_GRAB IT!" he screamed out desperately, his body still pinning Patrick's down. Shaking, I bent down quickly and grabbed the small weapon in my hands. The black metal felt cold as it slipped into my fingers, and at the same time, it felt so alien and out of place. I held it in the ways that I had seen in movies and awkwardly pointed it towards Liam and Patrick who were still on the ground. My heart was slamming and slamming in my chest as I held the small object in my inexperienced hands, not knowing what to do but shake. "SHOOT HIM!" Liam screamed at me, but I stayed frozen with my finger still at the trigger timidly._

"_Miley," Patrick whispered in a slow hesitant voice. "I'm not the one who hurt you…" he continued, his dark eyes burning through mine. My mind was a chaotic mess of confusion as I held the gun in front of two of the most important guys in my life. _

"_SHUT UP!" Liam slammed Patrick into the ground forcefully that it felt as if the ground underneath my feet had shook. "SHOOT HIM, MILEY!" Liam demanded again, but still, I couldn't budge. I knew I couldn't shoot either of them; I didn't have the strength to, but with the erratic non- stop pulsing in my ears, in my chest, in my whole body, and Liam's demanding screaming, I couldn't concentrate on what to do… _

"_You know what to do," Patrick said again, but Liam's strong arms just pushed his shoulders to the hard floor once again and pain surged through Patrick's features. I took in his words, but it was all just so wrong. I didn't know what to do… _

"_DO IT NOW!" Liam screamed, his sea blue eyes staring at me with so much intensity that I shut my eyes, not wanting to look anymore. Under all the pressure, my mind was too much of a mess to realize what I was doing next. "MILEY? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Liam's screams grew louder, but my eyes were shut tight to know what was going on. Patrick had grown silent, but I could hear his muffled breathing. The only thing going through my head was the wailing of the school alarm, Liam's desperate screams, and the blood pulsing to my head in an erratic pace. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING? YOU'RE FUCKING CRAZY! YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SHOOT HIM! KILL HIM!" Liam screamed once again, and I found myself raising the gun with my eyes still closed shut. Liam's blasting yells had just become a buzzing in the background as I slowly moved my trembling finger to the trigger… and shot._

_At first all I felt was silence, then a sudden power releasing as if a bomb had just gone off in my hands… a loud blast of noise… and finally more silence…_

_My body was shaking uncontrollably as I dropped the weapon, and the loud echo that sounded when the piece of metal hit the cold floor will forever play over and over again in my mind. I opened my eyes slowly, scared of what I would see, but at first all I could see was blackness… And then as my vision cleared up, I saw one limp body lying on the floor. But it wasn't Patrick's._

"_Liam!" I cried out as I dropped to the floor next to the body. From where I was sitting, all I could see was blood and blood and more blood. I put my hands over his chest, where most of the blood was coming from, but nothing would happen. I couldn't stop this. "Liam," I shook him desperately, wanting for him to wake up from this sleep, but he wouldn't respond to my shakes. His body was trembling as if he had a cold, but still, his eyes were shut._

"_I did this for you," a voice mumbled behind me. I turned my tear- stained face around to meet the dark- head of hair I didn't think I knew anymore._

"_How is this for me?" I cried out, looking over at Liam's body. _

"_Liam cheated on you…"_

_Images of the blonde at the party entered my mind, but I pushed them away quickly, knowing that I couldn't let her effect me. "NO EXCUSE CAN EQUAL WHAT YOU DID."_

_He ignored me. "My mom used to be like you, Miley… Popular, beautiful, smart… And then she met my father and she began to get depressed… erratic… she wanted to kill herself with every breathe she took… Because he cheated on her… I didn't want that to happen to you. I was protecting you," Patrick tried to explain, his eyes desperate for me to understand… but all I could see in that pit of blackness was insanity. None of what I saw was the Snort I had met and grew to befriend. The boy standing in front of me was insane._

"_But why everyone else?" I sobbed, wanting to get as much answers from him as possible._

"_It only seemed rational to do it. All these people hurt you, Miley… We're friends. I'm supposed to protect you." _

"_I HATE YOU!" I screamed out, my voice filling with complete frustration. All I wanted to do was hit and scream at Patrick, but my body was too weak to do anything. _

"_No you don't. You need me…" he explained, his voice becoming desperate once again. None of what he was saying was making sense. _

"_YOU'RE INSANE, PATRICK. INSANE." I screamed at me with all the power my throat had left. He just shook his head disappointed._

"_You'll thank me," he said simply. _

"_I don't get it… We loved this school…"_

_Patrick let out a mocking laugh. "YOU loved this school, Miley. Not everyone in this school can have popular best friends, amazing grades, and basically have the whole school waiting at their feet. I've hated this place since my first step in these disgusting halls. I've been bullied, pushed around, mocked… every single day I've gone to this school. You think I LOVE that?"_

"_I… I.." I paused. I wanted to tell him that I didn't know, but then I would be lying. I always knew that kids like him were bullied, especially by Liam and his friends, but I was in a safe zone. I didn't have to go through things like that, so I just turned a shoulder and pretended like I never saw it happening. _

"_You're a coward."_

_I stayed silent, knowing that it was true._

"_That's why I did this for you. Because I knew you wouldn't have the strength to do it yourself."_

_Suddenly, a soft gurgle of sounds emitted from Liam's blood coated lips as his body shuddered. I watched horrified as he threw up a mouthful of blood before lying limp on the ground once again. His body was still shivering in my arms. "Why do I feel so cold?" he asked through his blood red lips. Desperate to keep him with me for as long as I could, I hung onto his body tightly as if it were the only thing keeping me on the ground. "Don't cry," Liam's weak voice whispered, and I looked down to see that my tears had fallen onto his own body, onto his own cheeks… or maybe he was crying also. It was too hard to tell from all the blood. For just a second, I thought he opened his eyes. God. Those beautiful sea blue eyes that would always make my heart race. And for that second, all I saw in those eyes were love… maybe even forgiveness. But before I could make sure, his eyes shut again as if he didn't have the strength to keep them open anymore._

"_Liam," I shook his body, desperate to hear his voice again; to at least have a sign to convince myself that all of this might have a small hint of hope. He didn't show any sign of hearing my words except shiver in my arms. I cradled Liam's head desperately, as I turned to Patrick who was just standing there watching me with a blank stare. "Help me!" I screamed desperately. I turned back around, and for a second, I thought Patrick would do nothing… but he did._

_Before I could see what was happening, Snort had stepped up and pushed the gun into Liam's head before shooting. I screeched as the blast of the shot erupted right next to my ears, where I was still cradling Liam's head. He wasn't shaking anymore. He wasn't doing anything. _

"_Done," Patrick whispered with a finality in his voice. As if we had just finished the job._

_I said help me, I thought to myself… I looked over at Liam's unmoving body and shuddered. That's not what I meant… That's not what I meant… It couldn't be. _

"_I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" I screamed again and again, because for once I was at a loss for words. "You made me do this!" I cried out, staring at Liam's blood- coated body. _

"_I didn't make you do anything," he backed away. "You did this to yourself. You just wouldn't let him go."_

_I shook my head, tears still falling from my eyes. None of what he was saying was making any sense. Yes, I couldn't let Liam go, but all of this would never balance out his argument. Never. _

"_I did this because you're my friend, Miley. You have to understand that. You're my only friend. I had to protect you… That's what you said. You said friends protect friends…" Snort's eyes began to water, and I almost felt a hint of pity rise in my chest…. But anger pulsed through it quickly as if it were never there in the first place._

"_I hate you, Patrick. You were never my friend, and I hate you. Do you hear me? I HATE YOU," I yelled, my arms wrapped around Liam, not wanting to do anything else but hold him close. _

_Patrick stumbled back for a moment as if stunned. His dark eyes widened in shock as he comprehended my words; that I was never his friend, that I hated him and how I made sure my voice made him understand that I was serious, that I meant it with all my heart. I didn't know which hurt him more. Fury surging through me, I didn't care about the hurt on his features as I continued._

"_You think this is all going to be over?" I screamed back, tears blurring my vision. "What you did today… all of this, is the start of something horrible, Patrick. You're going to jail for the rest of your life. You didn't fix anything. You destroyed it."_

_Patrick stumbled back a few more steps as if my words had actual hands pushing him down. He shook his head slowly, but I could see the distinct hesitancy building in his eyes. I did nothing, but watch as my ex- friend fell into pieces as the realization of his actions would come to. It hurt to watch him pain, because no matter what I said, I knew that through the crazy 16 year old monster standing in front of me, the shy 16 year old boy who I had called a friend was lying beneath; struggling to push through, but just not knowing how to. For a few seconds, no one said anything, but I knew something was about to happen as Patrick's blank face suddenly morphed into a crumpled expression of heavy defeat. He shuffled over a few feet, and before I knew what he was doing, he bent down and reached for the small handgun as if it had always been there waiting for him. _

_I should have let him kill himself. I should have let him feel the pain that he had given to all these innocent people, but at the same time, I couldn't. Instead, I found myself flinging at him right as he pushed the gun into the pale patch of skin on his forehead. His eyes looked so sad, as if this was what he truly wanted from the beginning… but I couldn't let him. I shrieked as I jumped on him, pushing the gun off its target just as Patrick squeezed the trigger. Even with the push, Patrick still wailed in pure pain as his body shuddered next to mine. I opened my eyes to take in everything that had just happened, and it didn't take long to see Patrick clutching onto his leg, his eyes shooting with pain. _

"_I'm … Oh my god… I'm…" I stuttered as I watched horror flicker through his black coal- like eyes. He stumbled back before finally hitting the floor with a loud thump._

"_Why did you do that?" he screamed, an alien anger expanding through his voice. _

_I stayed silent for a few minutes before realizing why I really hadn't let him get through with it. "You're not going to throw away your life, Patrick. You have to face the consequences of what you've done."_

_Patrick's eyes widened with fear, but it wasn't long before pain took its spot. He clutched onto his bleeding leg, and my first instinct was to help him, to get him somewhere safe… but the fury pulsing through my veins, through my entire body caused me to push it away. I hated him. It was the one thing I was sure of right now. _

"_You're going to be involved in this," Patrick whispered, his voice calming down to become almost amused. _

"_What?"_

"_You were the one who held the gun. You were the one who shot. I'm only an injured student, remember? A victim," his eyes were still blank as he held my gaze, but I couldn't stand to look at him anymore. He was a monster. No one I knew._

"_That's not true," I whispered._

"_Look at yourself."_

_But I already knew how I looked. I didn't have to look down to see the blood that covered my clothes, my skin… I didn't need to look to know that my fingerprints were all over the gun. I didn't need to even think to know that all the evidence around us was pointing a direct finger at me. Patrick was right. He was right._

"_No. Don't leave me," I whimpered desperately as Patrick limped away. He froze in his spot, leaning on a locker for support. "Please. Don't leave me like this," I sobbed. Something in those fierce and alien eyes disappeared for just a second as the Snort I knew took its place. Just for a second._

_He limped forward so that he was slowly walking towards me, and I knew from each step closer, pain was erupting from his leg. Finally as he was inches before me, he bent down slowly until his lips hovered right about my ear. "You know nothing… Nothing of what happened today. Understand?"_

_I glanced up at him quizzically, but before I could question him, I watched as he began to walk away; to find a place to start his act; being merely another innocent victim. I wanted to scream at him to help me, but I knew that what he said was his way of helping me. He wanted me to lie. He wanted me to do the same thing he was doing and run away, acting like none of this happened, like all of this wasn't our faults. I wanted so bad to run away, to leave and follow Patrick out of the door that would enclose my safety. _

_But I couldn't._

_I couldn't leave Liam alone, even though deep inside me, I knew he was already gone. My hands were still resting on the small hole in his chest where the bullet… the bullet I shot… had pierced into his body. Staring at a limp and lifeless Liam, my first love… I knew that following Patrick and running away from all of this was out of the question. Instead, I kept my hands on his chest, wishing that this small action would save him, though I knew my hope was pointless. I tried not to stare at his head where the final bullet had rung through, but I couldn't help it. _

_I looked at the simple and now pale face of the boy I fell in love with when I was 15 and took in his perfect features; his defined jaw, his lightly tanned skin, his dark curved eyebrows. And finally to the small punctured wound at the side of his head. It looked so small and harmless that it almost seemed as if the shot hadn't hit him at all; that this was all a mistake and Liam would wake up any minute._

_But he didn't, and I knew he wouldn't._

"_Liam," I mumbled through escaping sobs. I didn't know how I was still crying, but the tears just wouldn't stop. I found my vision blurred from the building moistness, but I continued whispering his name over and over again, hoping that he heard it. Somewhere, anywhere, he heard it._

_And finally, the screeching school alarm stopped and for once all that was left was pure silence. My heart had stopped moving and twisting. It was so still as if I no longer had a heart- beat. I felt completely empty… numb… lifeless. _

_Still crying, I rested my head on Liam's chest wanting to hear his own heart- beat, but still nothing would come. I stayed frozen in that position, my hands and head resting on his chest, waiting for a movement… a heart- beat… something… but nothing._

_I kissed his pale white face, a soft spot where there was no blood, just Liam. He's gone, I told myself. He's gone and it's all my fault. My head still on his chest, I began to cry harder until I began to question how long it took before my tears would truly run dry. I wanted to feel something like the powerful and overtaking pain and anger I had felt earlier when Patrick had done what he had, but instead, I felt nothing but complete and utter inner pain; inner pain that I couldn't even distinguish, but it was there, gnawing and stabbing me from the inside._

"_Don't leave me," I whispered helplessly, before my own world turned black._

_

* * *

**May 9th, 2010 (11: 20 A.M.) **** {Present- Day}**_

I sat in my chair silently as Denise patted my hand over and over again. Her face was completely serious, and she wouldn't even look at me. I dropped my head and stared at my lap, knowing that this was what I deserved. I knew that what I confessed today would be the turning point of the drop. No one would trust me now. The judge and the rest of the jury had disappeared in the back room for a few minutes to discuss my faith, and the whole room stayed silent as they waited and waited and waited.

I heaved a deep shaky breath that I felt like I had been holding for decades. Denise's pats stopped, and finally, she turned around to face me. For just a second, I thought I saw a hint of pride in her eyes. But how? How, after all of this? After all I had done?

"Whatever happens today, I think you should know that I'm proud of you," Denise whispered, giving me a soft smile. It was a sad smile, but it was still a smile.

I raised a confused eyebrow. "How can you be proud of me?"

Denise merely smiled again. "Because you had the strength that Patrick never had… To tell the truth." She smiled and pulled me into a quick hug, squeezing me until I felt as if it were her last action. "Patrick ran away from all of this, he gave up his strength to fight when he drowned himself in that lake. HE was the coward, Miley. Not you. Never you."

I shook my head as I met her patient eyes. "But I _am_ scared."

"Scared and being a coward isn't the same thing."

I looked at her confused, not fully understanding her words.

"Everyone feels scared at one point in their lives, some more than others," she explained. "But being a coward means letting that fear take over you."

I looked around at the dead silent court- room and met the familiar faces of people I had grown up with for my whole life. I met the supportive gaze of Demi and Joe as they sat there, holding hands. They were scared too, I thought. I remembered all the times Demi would come to me crying about a silly fight they had or some simple word that would push one of them over the edge. They were both scared. They were scared of losing each other.

I looked over at my parents who were looking as worried as usual. Dad's hands grasped mom's in a comforting way, and she seemed to lean into him so dependently that I felt a need to give them the moment to themselves. They're scared too… They're scared for me; their only child. They're scared that they failed their jobs as parents. They're scared that they're the reason I ruined my life.

I looked over to Selena and felt my heart drop. Her eyes were red once again, and I knew she had been crying while I confessed the whole story. It must have been hard for her to sit there and listen to the death of her own brother; to basically relive the moment as if it were happening right in front of her… Her head was leaning against her mom's who was grasping onto Mr. Perry's arm. I know what they're scared of. They're scared of family; of what could happen to each other.

I looked over to Mrs. Nelson, who I just learned finally left her husband. She sat there frozen, staring at the front of the room as if moving her eyes would only pain her even more. Silent tears streamed down her face, and I knew that the truth of Patrick was killing her on the inside. She had the same fear as my parents; destroying her child's life and having it all be their fault. But I could also see a different fear. From all the small bits I had known about Mrs. Nelson from Patrick, I also knew that she was scared to love. Even herself.

And finally, my eyes settled on the loving stare of Nick Hanson as he flashed me a soft smile, noticing my gaze. I managed to twist my lips into a smile back. I examined the curly- haired boy I had managed to fall for so quickly and easily, and wondered what he was scared of. A few weeks ago, I would most probably have concluded that he was scared of nothing, absolutely nothing. But I'm not the same person I was a few weeks ago. I've changed and morphed into something new. As I stared into the soft chocolate brown eyes of Nick, I realized his fear. He was scared of life itself. Moving forward, moving back, and all the things in between. He was also scared of me, I realized with amusement. But not in the way that intimidated me. He was scared that I might fall out of love with him; that I would pick someone new.

I turned back around and watched as the judge and jury spilled back into the silent room. I wonder what they're all scared of… Then I realized that out of all the people I had been worrying about, I forgot the most important one. Me.

What was I scared of?

Throughout my life, I can say that I had a lot of fears: heights, spiders, the dark. But underneath all of that, I realized the biggest fear I've had since the very beginning; the fear I realized once the gun was placed in my hands. My biggest fear was facing the truth. And the only other way out is to lie… and that's what I had been doing for the past month. Lying. Lying until all of those untruths caught up to me and pushed me down to my knees until all I could do was take them back.

The truth about lies are that they never stop. They seep out of you like an odor that has nowhere else to go but out. But the one thing you can do to fix lies is to fess up to them, to face them. The truth was hard, but eventually lies were even harder. Out of everything my heart had confessed on that stand, this was the real truth I had been keeping in for the past month. The truths about lies.

I let out before I faced the jury as they swarmed together to read off the final decision. This is where my lies got me, I realized with a shaking sigh. My whole life was hanging by a thin silver thread as I dangled between the lines that separated the rest of my life.

"Please stand, " Judge Harrison called out. The whole room stood up slowly as if still in a daze. I think everyone in the room was holding their breath by now. I took one last look at the room of people that had always been there no matter what, and felt a twinge of relief despite the mess of what my life was now. Relief that I had been lucky enough to have them.

I hated the fact that I needed a wake- up call to realize how much I truly had in life, but now that I could take it all in, it was too overwhelming. I had friends, I had family, I had an amazing guy who loved me, a best friend who would always be there when I needed her, and the clear memory of the people that were taken away from us too early.

Finally, I felt Denise's hand slide into mine as she squeezed it waiting for the final words. A jury member stood up with a piece of paper in her hand.

"The jury had decided that Miley Stewart is found…"

Before I could take in the announcement, I felt a round of voices erupting throughout the room. I couldn't tell if they were shouts of protests or happiness. All I know is that one second, I'm standing with my feet frozen to the ground and another second, I'm being thrown into the arms of person after person. I felt Denise pull me into a tight hug, then my parents, then Demi, then Joe, then Selena. I couldn't tell if they were hugs of goodbye or hugs of congratulations. Everything was in too much of a blur to ask.

Finally I entered the familiar arms of Nick Hanson. I gripped onto him tightly wanting to know what had just happened, but he just held me as if there was nowhere else we had to be but right there. He was kissing my hair when I pulled back and gave him a questioning look. It wasn't until Nick's finger pulled back to reveal a tear that I realized I was crying. He pulled me back into his arms, and I clung onto his body just as tight. "It's all over," Nick whispered next to my ear. I didn't know what that meant exactly, but I knew one thing.

This was all just the beginning.

* * *

_**A/N: THAT'S IT. I know you guys hate me because the ending is so open and confusing, but I wanted to keep it like that. To keep you questing. Hahaa. Sorry. **_

_**But I had my mind set on doing it from the very beginning of the story, and I couldn't change it now. I gave off a few hints of what happened, but at the same time, I don't really have a clear - cut image of what happened. So I leave the ending up to your own imaginations. Mwuahhaaa. ;)**_

_**AND THANK YOU for making this story such a success. Definitely my most reviews story ever, not to mention chapter. I got 32 reviews for the last chapter. I have never been so thankful. This story was really fun and intense to write because I've never done it before; sometimes even challenging, but you guys made it worth it with your feed- back and reviews. **_

_**And sorry that it took so long for this chapter to be uploaded. I wanted it to be perfect, and at the same time I had writer's block and I'm still not 100% proud of this last chapter, but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting any longer.**_

_**If I randomly have a burst of inspiration in the next few days, I MIGHT make an epilogue, but I can't promise anything. Once again, THANK YOU! And make sure to check out my new story that I'll start soon called 21 Days of Miley Stewart. :)**_


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